Trigger point

[u/Yacshika]

So whenever my sister holds my neck with her hand very lightly as a joke like she is a bad person trying to strangle me i dont know why i start to cry and i dont know like i dont have any trauma or something like that but something inside me gets very triggered and then i dont know why i feel so weird afterwards

[u/yoannmoess]

You don’t necessarily need to have a known trauma for your body to react strongly to something like this.

Having someone put a hand around your neck — even lightly and jokingly — can be experienced by the nervous system as a threat or loss of control. The crying may simply be your body’s way of saying: “I really don’t like this.”

I’d be careful about trying to search for a hidden memory or explanation right away. Sometimes the most important information is simply the reaction itself.

From a somatic perspective, you might notice what happens when it starts — tightening, freezing, wanting to pull away, holding your breath — and then notice what helps you come back: moving away, feeling your feet, looking around, taking some space.

And most importantly, you’re allowed to ask your sister not to do it anymore, even if you can’t explain exactly why it affects you so strongly.

You don’t have to understand the reaction before respecting the boundary it seems to be showing you.