Sometimes I forget the many triggers that I have. Storms, kids, food color and textures, smells, touch, emotions. Today's is storms. I generally make it through the others with minor aches and pain. Storms is the one that breeds instant anxiety. I dont even understand why. It has been an issue for as far as I can remember. As a child I can remember curling up in a ball at the thunder and lightning. Even in college, I would seek a quiet room with no windows. Someone would come sit with me seeing the terror on my face.

The strange thing is, I dont recall any time it happened during a storm or even rain. I may not remember what happened 20 mins ago but I do recall 95% of those times. Maybe it is part of the 5%. I have never been able to figure this trigger out. It is the 2nd biggest one. It is one I cannot escape. Storms happen. Without a sound-proof, windowless room, I must experience this one no matter how big or small, day or night. Storms can take me to a place I dont want to be. Reliving a life I want to forget with every fiber of my being. Storms invoke a child-like fear. 

So here I am, waiting for a storm that may or may not happen. Trying to breathe through the anxiety from anticipation and probably making it all worse. Feeling out of control. Dreading every flash of light, every loud noise. Counting the seconds between flashes and the thunder. 1, 2, 3, 4....Boom! Feeling safer when the numbers get larger and the flashes almost a distant memory. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...Boom! Allowing myself to breathe normal again. Shaking that feels like it starts deep inside lessens. The heartbeat returning to normal. Feeling like I am once again in the presence and apart of this world.

Triggers. I would like to like without them. Most days I just want to feel like I have a handle on them. Right now I am just trying to get to the end of this one.