being triggered is like stepping through a trap door in my head and being rushed away to another place where i am in danger. i can feel in danger even when i am talking to a loved one who has always been safe, feel in my body through adrenaline and other body processes like i am in place and time where some event occurred, often like i'm a kid with no power.

getting triggered is almost always unexpected, sometimes i don't realize that's what's happening at first. it can ruin big chunks of time, sometimes even days of my life. i can say things i regret. it has strained and even ruined some of my relationships. i often need to apologize later. some people will never trust me again. even if it's mild i almost always need to try to explain what happened or excuse myself.

and "i was triggered" has become a joke that means "i was being an unreasonable snowflake about something"

"lol triggered" is usually around something the joker thinks people shouldn't be upset about. actual triggers can be so incredibly varied and can seem weird or silly to an outside observer because they might remind the triggered person somehow of some previous event or pattern of events. hell, often when /i/ get triggered i am also going "why am i getting triggered about this? this is ridiculous" and attacking myself on top of the triggered feeling. as if i need that too.

people with trauma need kindness, nonjudgement, and patience around the topics that trigger them.

adding this to the end which i said in the comments but a few people have suggested other terms instead, but the thing is

1. disabled people shouldn't have to keep dancing around people who want to dehumanize us every time our words get misused

2. if we come up with a new word, they'll turn that one into a joke, too