Doomscrolling, Flashbacks, and Old Voices: Triggers in an Overwhelming World
At The Religious Trauma Collective this October, we are exploring a theme that feels especially relevant right now: how to cope with the overwhelm of the world.
For many survivors, that overwhelm shows up in familiar ways.
Maybe it’s doomscrolling through endless headlines until your nervous system feels fried.
Maybe it’s being blindsided by a flashback in the middle of an ordinary day.
Or maybe it’s hearing the internalised voices of fundamentalism - you’re sinful, you’re selfish, you’re deceived - whispering louder whenever life feels uncertain.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why am I so triggered, and what can I do about it?” you’re not alone. For survivors of high-control religion and cults, overwhelm isn’t just about what’s happening today, it’s about how the body remembers the past.
The Body Remembers What the Mind Forgets
A trigger can be almost anything: a headline, a smell, a familiar phrase, or a sudden tone of voice. What makes it overwhelming isn’t the thing itself but what it signals to your brain.
In high-control systems, danger was framed not just as physical harm but as spiritual catastrophe. Natural disasters were “signs of the end.” Political tension was “proof of persecution.” Everyday mistakes were “evidence of rebellion.” When you’ve spent years under that kind of teaching your nervous system learns to treat normal stressors as existential threats.
That’s why your heart might race when you see news of global unrest or why a small conflict at home feels like the end of the world. Your amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, can’t always tell the difference between past indoctrination and present reality.
One gentle way to begin breaking that cycle is by grounding yourself in the here and now. If you are feeling overwhelmed even as you are reading this, try orienting to your environment: slowly name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, and one you can taste (or would like to taste). Simple practices like this remind your body that you are in this present moment.
When the News Feels Like Prophecy
Many survivors describe a unique intensity when it comes to world events. Doomscrolling through global crises doesn’t just create anxiety, it awakens old apocalyptic scripts. Wars, pandemics, political chaos: these were once framed as cosmic evidence that the end was imminent, and you weren’t ready.
Even years later, those warnings echo. Your nervous system reacts not only to the headlines but to the sermons and fear-based narratives that were tied to them. It makes sense if panic creeps in while scrolling, or if you find yourself compulsively checking updates, desperate to feel prepared or to have some kind of understanding.
If you notice this happening, pause and remind yourself: “This is a real crisis, but it is not a prophecy.” Setting boundaries with media consumption, like limiting when you check the news or choosing trusted sources, can give your body much-needed space. And reaching out to someone who can anchor you in the present helps shift the weight from isolation to connection.
The Language of the Body
Not all triggers arrive in words or images. Often, they arrive as sensations.
A sudden wave of dread.
A tight chest.
A sense of shrinking inside yourself.
These are body-based flashbacks. It’s your nervous system remembering even when your conscious mind doesn’t. You may freeze during a family conversation, panic in a safe environment, or feel irrationally small when confronted with conflict.
What’s important to know is that these reactions aren’t random, and they aren’t signs of weakness. They’re echoes of survival strategies that once kept you safe.
The next time this happens, try naming it: “This feeling belongs to the past.” Pair that with gentle movement if that feels comfortable for you - shaking your hands, rocking, or walking to help your body release what it’s holding. Sensory tools like a weighted blanket or firm pressure under your feet can also signal to your system that you are safe here and now.
The Inner Critic That Won’t Stay Quiet
Survivors often describe that when stress rises, the inner critic resurfaces. Not the normal self-doubt that everyone can feel, but old religious voices playing on repeat: You’re not good enough. You’re deceived. You’re selfish. You’ve got this wrong.
In times of external chaos, these inner echoes can grow louder, creating the feeling that you’re being attacked both inside and out. It’s exhausting!
What helps is recognising that these voices are not your authentic self. They are echoes of someone else’s control, internalised to keep you in line. Try labelling them: “That’s not me. That’s Pastor X’s voice,” or “That’s conditioning talking, not truth.”
You can also begin to introduce new, compassionate voices. Write yourself a short reminder “I am safe now. I am allowed to rest” and return to it when the critic gets loud.
The Fear of Getting It Wrong
Choice is another area where triggers sneak in. In high-control religion and cults, “choice” often wasn’t real. You were told what to believe, what to wear, how to behave, and what your future should look like.
Saying “no” was dangerous.
Saying “yes” was expected.
That history can make even small decisions today feel terrifying. Something as ordinary as choosing a job or making a purchase can stir up panic, because your nervous system still ties choice to eternal consequence. And when the wider world feels unstable, the weight of those decisions grows heavier.
Recovery involves relearning that choice is safe. It can start small: trying a new meal, wearing clothes that reflect your style, or taking a different route on a walk. Instead of asking “Is this the right choice?” try asking, “Does this align with my values today?”
If you need a daily reminder, write it down where you’ll see it: “I’m allowed to make my own choices.” Every yes and no you practice now is a step away from coercion and toward autonomy.
Moving From Judgment to Compassion
One of the harshest lies survivors carry is the belief that being triggered means you’ve failed. “I should be over this by now.” But that thought itself is another remnant of systems that demanded perfection.
The truth is much gentler: your reactions make sense. They are evidence of survival, not proof of weakness.
The shift comes when you meet those moments with compassion instead of judgment. That might mean pausing in front of a mirror and saying, “You’re doing your best. You deserve kindness.” Or placing a hand over your heart and whispering, “This is hard, and I can be gentle with myself.”
If compassion feels out of reach, borrow a voice. Imagine someone who truly cares for you and ask: “What would they say to me right now?” Let their words become the tone you extend to yourself.
Gathering some Tools
After exploring these themes, it can help to bring them together in one place. Think of it as a first-aid kit for your nervous system - a handful of simple practices you can reach for when the noise of the world feels too much.
Some of the tools include:
Using the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise to bring yourself back to the present. Slowly name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch, two you can smell, and one you can taste (or would like to taste)
Practicing a breath reset by inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 6, five times in a row.
Repeating a soothing statement like, “I am safe. This is my body remembering, not prophecy.”
Setting a boundary cue: stepping away from conversations, news, or people when your system feels overloaded.
Reaching out for connection, even a short text that says, “I’m having a tough moment” can help.
Orienting to your surroundings by turning your head and noticing what’s in the room.
Choosing gentle movement like rocking or walking to discharge frozen energy.
Labelling old voices as conditioning rather than truth.
Writing yourself a reminder of self-permission: “I’m allowed to make my own choices.”
None of these tools are about fixing yourself, they are about resourcing yourself.
Practiced consistently, they gently rewire your system to expect safety again, rather than danger.
Living in today’s world is overwhelming for anyone. Add the echoes of high-control religion, and it’s no wonder survivors often feel hijacked by triggers. Doomscrolling awakens old prophecies. Flashbacks arrive through the body. Internal voices echo condemnation. Decisions feel dangerous.
Here’s a gentle reminder: you are not broken.
Being triggered doesn’t mean you’ve failed, it means your body remembers, and every time you respond with compassion rather than shame, you take a step toward freedom.
Recovery isn’t about never being triggered again. It’s about learning how to meet those moments differently - with grounding, with choice, with compassion, and with tools that remind you: You’re human, and you are safe enough now.