How many triggers?

We were, at one point, asked to write down all our (negative) triggers by our T.

This feels like an insurmountable task, to be honest. How many triggers is there normal to have? Cause we have a lot. As in a lot. We are generally not triggered on here or while talking to people, but objects, sounds, smells, scenery, foods, words, a certain language that the father put in to cause switches, stuff that triggers us so someone else comes out before really either on of us knows what the trigger was etc etc.. Lots of stuff.

I feel like we're kinda too messed up. Are we the only ones who have a hard time just "writing a list"?

I've tried listing triggers before, but you're right. It's ridiculous. Half of the things I don't even know why they're a triggger! One helpful thing I've done is to make a partial list and note of which alter is affected. I'd like to think its helpful to the significant people in my life, but I'd have to know to be sure. It is helpful to us though as I can keep adding to the list as appropriate and then find links and understand better why we respond as we do to certain things.

I hae a file dedicated to this on my computer. It's grown so much that I might make a separate file for each alter. It has been stupendously helpful in making links though. Not just to triggers and alters, but even to starting to discover why each alter has specific triggers.

Thanks for responding

I guess we should try again. We made a "just off the top of our head" list and it's seriously way long already. It was helpful to our SO when we first gave it to her - but there's lots we didn't even write.

I'm sure you're right about making links. I'm sure we'd more easily connect the dots if we wrote it all down. But it just seems like such a big job. There's a lot of inner resistance to it, too. Not really sure why but such it is.

Thank you

I should note though, so it's not all negative, that we have worked on some of them.

(Some of) The trigger work we have done *trigger warning* ( ):
Donald Duck (the classic ones on tv + the comic book are now not only not a trigger, but very calming for many of us, but the newer versions still give us panic)
Scissors (couldn't keep them in the house or see one, now we have 2 in the house that have
Medicine (seeing medicine being taken by others, having medicine in the house, taking our iron supplement as all now more or less okay (as long as the parts that has gotten used to taking it is the one fronting) and we can handle it a lot better when we do get nervous)
2 types of food (couldn't see it in an ingredients list or anything, now we can handle it pretty well, but we can't keep the food itself in the house because then anya comes out and we pass out)
A word (couldn't use it or hear other's use it, now a.. I wouldn't say natural, but okay.. part of our vocabulary)
Touch (certain places on the body we have been extremely sensitive but are now much more okay)
Toys with faces (Anastasia used to be horrified by anything with a face, now we have dolls etc and she's fine as long as she knows about it beforehand and doesn't just come across them without knowing they're there)

It might go slow but we're working on it at least

It's good that you are working on this, and it doesn't have to happen over night. It's a large and ominous task to catalog all of the triggers. It's super brave to even do that. I think you should be really proud of what you've done so far. I think it's normal to have lots of triggers. We have so many it's kind of nuts. Sounds, places, tastes, foods, certain touches, certain postures, phrases, words, songs, smells, objects, environments, expressions, movements, emotions, phsyical sensations, blah blah blah. It would be quite a long list to write it down. can't say we've ever tried to write it down but just thinking of doing that is overwhelming, so props to you all for starting on it.

Yeah we definitely know what you mean galaxies. There's just so much. But we're trying at least.. Hopefully in time we can limit the amount of triggers by doing some slow and steady trauma work. Thanks

Each step you take is one less step that's left to take along the path to empowering yourself from all the haunts of trauma. well done! it's not a quick process but hey, you're closer with each step you take.

Thank you That's very nice of you. And yeah, it's just taking it one step at a time

Writing a list is very hard to us, even to me, even though I don't get bothered a lot with triggers. I do know that as long as we feel safe, most triggers won't trigger anything, they start triggering when the one in front isn't feeling comfortable in the environment. at that point nearly anything can trigger us, a passing car, a woman who's on the phone, a damaged mailbox, you name it. Yet listing them seems impossible to me

That is another trigger yes: how others (inside or out) perceive the environment.. Actually that gave me some food for thought. Thank you.