I recommend Major therapy. (but I'm projecting, lol)

I'll tell you what works best for me overall, and I consider myself the Trigger Queen, even though I know I'm not :P -

When I have good sense - I have another Life outside of my trigger.

When I was working - all that's been all my life, up until about 8 months ago - I found it very easy to become Consumed with work, Unless I had something that Interested and Occupied me, going on outside of work. And that made things Better.

With relationships, it is best that I have Many things secure in my life that I Do, so I will not Obsess over the relationship and let it consume me.

See how that works? I am a junkie in All directions, and a Balance must be had to keep from being eaten alive by the current obsession.

It staves off both mania and depression, that would come directly from the obsession. I wish you luck, and Lots of responses. :)

All other triggers, be they television shows, uncomfortable topics of conversation or anything Else - I have to Back Away from, so that I will Not give in to the emotions associated with the trigger. :/

Kubla,

It's hard to figure out how to deal with the triggers, I am like Goingthru.. I try to avoid them if possible. Other than that I am still trying to figure that part out. I don't have a lot of triggers it just hits. One minute okay, the next flying high buzzing around talking nonstop to deep down depressed.

I do have a depression workbook that helps a lot if and when I get it out. It first teaches you to recognize your triggers and teaches you ways to cope. Other than that there is always therapy. But if you're like me it just doesn't work. I prefer to do it on my own, however if and when I do get severe I will reach out for help. The people in Daily Strength are great, very understanding and compassionate.

The name of the book I have is "The Depression Workbook". I got mine from amazon.com. Look into it there if you want, if I remember right it is a book you can preview sections of the book to see if it's something you want to purchase.

Good Luck,
Kimmers

I just live.

i just try to slowly enter situations so i dont get lost in it to quick i would think of the thing to keep topic about but the thing is that there are something thawt need to be talk about before you can deal with trigger better you may have to have sometiggers before you get better at dealing with them

I rarely have triggers that 'trigger' me into depression, just things that make it worse - I was depressed long before I lost my job, so that sent me deeper, Being unemployed and trying to get the bills paid doesn't help a bit, and being passed over for jobs certainly doesn't help matters either. Like you, GTTM, when I was manic, I worked my bloody A$$ OFF! LOL!

Thanks, Kimmers - I will definitely check into that book!

Thank you all for your input! :)

When bumbarded with it.....


I pretend it doesnt affect me.... then go home and relive the moment for a few hours, sometimes days.

Not healthy, but at least, I am thankful I can just pretend Im not affected by it when confronted.

There is a tool that I use called Wellness Recovery Action Planning. It is a tool that you write for yourself so that you can have things ready and prepared to help you through times of triggering. Just Google WRAP and you should be directed to the Copeland Center which is where you can get more information on WRAP. It's a great tool. Check it out.

My triggers tend to be people..... most of my family to be specific. I only allow my mother to visit once a year for 3 days and I spend a lot of time doing deep breathing exercises. I also have her stay in a hotel because I HAVE to have time down from being around her. I could not even handle 3 days if I didn't get some time without her. I also tend to take a lot on benzos while she is here. I limit visits with my father to a couple a year for a few hours at a time..... and I do not allow my brother to visit at all. I will talk to him on the phone but he is a horrible opinionated bully so when I sense him starting to get mean or delusional I just hang up.

So I guess being aware of what my triggers are and taking whatever steps I can to minimize exposure.... when exposure cannot be avoided I take benzos and try hard to stay relaxed.

I do some deep breathing and try to remember that it's best to keep calm and carry on.

Ehh, I don't think I CAN deal with them. That's why I call them triggers. If something starts to bum me out or freak me out and I manage to get a handle on it, by turning my attention to something else or by slowing my breathing, I don't consider it to be a trigger.

When something sets me off and I can't do anything about it and end up way up or way down, that's my trigger and there's not much I can do to change how I feel. I just have to wait it out.

The closest I can come to undoing the damage a trigger causes is to pop pills. Usually enough sleep meds to knock me out. Sometimes I'm in a better mood when I wake up. Sometimes, I'm not.

I try and turn my mind off of it by concentrating on something else.. if I can I avoid them by staying away or setting boundaries..
Therapy will help to deal with them in a healthy way
But I think everyone has triggers and everyone needs boundaries..xo

pills herbs mixed with therpy

@Kubla

Actually those types of situations are called triggers. It might not make you go into a depression but it sure does make it worse and/or keep you down. I call these situations "situational depression". Something that I know I can either fix or that once it goes away the depression will ease up.

I deal with the situational depression better because I know if I can fix them I will probably feel better. It's the devastating, hopeless, worthless feelings that I can't get rid of when it is the bipolar depression.

Hope that makes sense.

I know what you mean about the job and finances. I am currently trying to exist on $900 a month from my employers disability insurance. Let's just say, the existing isn't going very well. I can't even cope with that part of my life anymore and have turned my finances over to my son for assistance. I also had to do that because every single time I am manic I get online and spend hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars that were meant to go towards bills, etc.

My motto for years have been, change what you can, work on the things that are changeable and then don't sweat the other stuff. Easier said then done most of the time though.

Good Luck,
Kimmers

I walk away ....as fast as I can to my Xananx.

I having few coping skills , well I have some coping skills....cool showers, incense burning, a type of meditative breathing....but when something gets in my face, and I can't do those things, I get out my Xanax and remove myself from the situation........which is why I ALWAYS take my own car when I go anyplace