I really enjoy reading this thread and the comfort I receive knowing I'm not alone in this journey. Thank you all so very much..

I know that the psyche requires balance, that is a psychological fact. So when one emotional thing is leaning too far in one direction we will overdo in another so we can obtain that emotional balance. That doesn't mean we'll do it in healthy ways unfortunately or go about it in rational ways.

I also know that we humans have "emotional triggers" that are rooted back to childhood. My primary trigger happens to be deprivation. So when anything smells like, feels like, or sounds like deprivation it sets me off into an emotional reaction. Needing balance I seek something that will help me not to feel so deprived. My means of balancing out those feelings of deprivation have been met in two ways, negative attention seeking from men and negative choices/and quantities of food.

Knowing that much, what can I do since I will definitely react to deprivation for the rest of my life. Nothing will ever change that. That will be with me for the rest of my life. That too is a psychological fact. So I have to learn a way of seeking that balance when feelings of deprivation come without it being the damaging two that I've used. That is the real journey for me.

I'd like to hear from others on this, if you're willing. What emotional triggers do you have? Shame? Abandonment? Betrayal? Disappointment? Etc. What is your primary trigger?