kkmeine.bsky.social

@kkmeine.bsky.social

I am a QMHP-CS and LCDC-I in Texas. Visit me at kkmeine.com!

Trying to hit 100g of protein while intermittent fasting is hard—especially when one option is yogurt, which I hate. After breakfast, I noticed my glucose rising, so I tried squats and seated calf raises. It soon began dropping. One CGM curve isn’t proof, but I’m glad to have tools to test.

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I would love for the evidence to say that sitting very still and thinking about exercising provides the same benefits. It does not. Rude. Fortunately, exercise doesn’t have to mean the gym. Walking, dancing, gardening, swimming—find some form of movement you dislike the least. 😄

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I’m creating Mental Health Foundations, a free client workbook with education, reflection prompts, and exercises (print copies will also be available). Have lived or professional mental health experience? I’d value your feedback; even if you think I know it. Collaboration helps reveal blind spots.

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Sometimes your nervous system sounds the alarm before your thinking brain gets a vote. Learning what triggers that alarm—and practicing skills to settle it—can help you respond more intentionally. Want some help calming the alarm? Contact me!

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"Trigger" has a specific meaning in mental health and substance use treatment. A trigger is something that activates the fight, flight, or freeze response, making clear thinking more difficult and increasing the risk of panic, relapse, or other reactions. Learn more below.

This graphic is a four-panel educational infographic about different types of triggers, designed in a purple, teal, and green neon style on a dark background. Each panel has a circular icon at the top, a colorful title banner, a short explanation, and a box containing example triggers. The bottom center displays the website "kkmeine.com."

Panel 1: Internal Triggers

Icon: A stylized brain.

Summary:
Internal triggers come from within you. They are emotions or physical states that can bring on stress, cravings, or painful memories.

Examples:

Angry
Sad
Anxious
Lonely
Bored
Hungry
Tired
Ill
Panel 2: External Triggers – People

Icon: Three simplified human figures.

Summary:
Other people can become triggers because of who they are or how they behave. Interactions with certain people may bring up stress, cravings, or painful memories.

Examples:

A person who makes you angry
Someone who criticizes you
An ex-partner or past abuser
People you used substances with
Crowds or strangers
Panel 3: External Triggers – Places

Icon: A location pin.

Summary:
Certain locations can trigger stress, cravings, memories, or old habits.

Examples:

A place where you were abused
Work or school
A place where you used substances
Someone else's house
Certain neighborhoods or stores
Panel 4: External Triggers – Things

Icon: A cube.

Summary:
Objects, sights, sounds, smells, or things you interact with can become triggers by bringing back stress, cravings, or memories.

Examples:

Objects that were around you during abuse
A tool associated with stress (for example, a pencil if math is stressful)
Drug paraphernalia
Certain smells or sounds
Overall message:
The infographic teaches that triggers generally fall into four categories: internal experiences (emotions and physical states) and external influences (people, places, and things). Recognizing these categories can help people identify situations that may lead to stress, emotional distress, cravings, or unwanted memories.

Grounding Exercise This is a grounding exercise that is pretty popular. It usually includes one thing you can taste, but I don't find that especially helpful, so I don't tend to include it. When you are getting overwhelmed, this is a good exercise to help get you out of your head. I suggest…

Grounding Exercise

This is a grounding exercise that is pretty popular. It usually includes one thing you can taste, but I don't find that especially helpful, so I don't tend to include it. When you are getting overwhelmed, this is a good exercise to help get you out of your head. I suggest practicing it when you're NOT overwhelmed, so that you're already in the habit when you are.

kkmeine.com