Beware Of Your T.R.A.P.
Because It’s Mental, Physical, Emotional, And Psychological
When we think of the word trap, it likely carries with it thoughts of negativity. We may think of words that connect to it like stuck, lost, or what have you. The acronym T.R.A.P. represents being trapped in behaviours connected to unhealthy avoidance patterns we may get stuck to. There are so many types of scenarios in our lives that can connect to avoidance, and it is not necessarily the type of things where the avoiding is healthy. Of course while many things avoided are done so for safety, perhaps avoiding dangerous things. But, that’s isn’t what this is about.
Sometimes it just isn’t about something lethal unhealthy, or dangerous. There are sometimes situations that at first, might seem like avoiding them is a healthy, and smart decision. But there are difficult times in life, where avoiding tough things is actually not a smart move. Sometimes it is the very tough things, that actually need the least avoiding in order to overcome. As a matter of fact, avoidance is the worst choice that can be made for many serious things.
The New Harbinger Self Help Workbook called “Overcoming Depression One Step At A Time,” lays out a good idea of what TRAP is all about and what it represents. Let’s see if we can get useless tools and a good understanding of it.
The letter T stands for Trigger. A word many of us have heard often times throughout mental health care and addiction recovery. It represents so many different things and we have to take each one as they come.
These triggers are the things that literally, initiate the process starting avoidance behaviours. Triggers are various and sometimes, literally surrounding us all around. An excellent example for me relates a lot to addiction. Active addiction often goes on much longer than one would think at first glance. The cycle of addiction is a circular, rapid, and bumpy road that goes up, down, up, down, up down. The progressive nature, so strong.
Although most of us obviously, want to no longer be imprisoned in that life, the cycle’s strength is so powerful, that potential escape seems just way to impossible to even try.
Avoidance is what happens, and trying to stop that, and begin the process for help just doesn’t seem like an option. Unfortunately it is that avoidance that makes it all the more difficult, because the longer it goes, the harder it is, to get out.
Avoidance goes way beyond addiction though. We allow avoidance to hinder so many positive things in life. Be it, studying for tests, working hard on a healthy diet, making home repairs, etc etc etc. Laziness seems to so easily win every time.
Triggers can be more than just those kind of things that seem the obvious. Triggers can be things like an old old photograph, a song, a movie, a smell, a sound, a drink, any memory, or what have you. All the type of things that connect to many different feelings and emotions. An old song can make us happy, excited, bittersweet, or sad.
We really shouldn’t avoid emotions or feelings. Even the bad ones should have recognition from us.
Triggers really are all about things that affect us and or have a significant impact on us.
So from there, we get a letter R, and with that comes our Response to a trigger. New Harbinger states that these responses are often times emotional in nature. Emotional, and vast. Our responses to triggers can be anything in the world. It may trigger anger, which can relay rage to us, sweating, blood pressure jumping sky high. Knots may grow in our stomachs.
Sometimes we become obsessive in nature, in the way we process thoughts. In this type, may also include behaviours of lacking trust, or paranoia. Of course, we may also scream, or we may cry.
Letters A and P stand for Avoidance Pattern. More specifically, this is the actual action or behaviour. We may isolate for days, remain in bed, or maybe ignore other personal responsibilities. We may call out of work for several days for no other reason, then to be part of the avoidance.
While ignoring those type of things, we often end up, ignoring ourselves too. Whether mental, or physical in nature.
Pain can show itself, in many fashions through this point.
And for someone like me, the worst avoidance I could have is an addiction relapse. That too is a very real avoidance response that many addicts have risks of doing. Whether it is someone who is actively using drugs everyday, to someone in sobriety, who has been clean for decades.
To be able to come up with all the potential types of avoidance responses and behaviours would just be impossible. It is just too endless in nature, and with every different human, can come every different response.
Some quite minor in nature, but so others may be so extreme that the domino effect with it, can hit hard and fast, guiding us quickly right into trouble.
Does any of this sound like it can help? If so, are you in a T.R.A.P.? I hope some of this insight help with your escape.
Michael Patanella
Author, Publisher
