Emotional Inflammation: Discover Your Triggers and Reclaim Your Equilibrium During Anxious Times

by Lise Van Susteren, Stacey Colino

Discover your unique pattern of emotional inflammation and learn how to cool down in anxious times

If the news has you feeling anxious or outraged, you’re not alone. There is a name for this: emotional inflammation. With Triggered, you’ll discover a breakthrough plan for dealing with this modern affliction. General and forensic psychiatrist Dr. Lise Van Susteren joins health journalist Stacey Colino to present a program called RESTORE, which will help you discover your “reactor type” for emotional inflammation and show you how to become more grounded and resilient in turbulent times.

One of the main causes of emotional inflammation is our sense that the big issues—like climate change, gun violence, and political corruption—are beyond our control. With RESTORE, you’ll learn you have more power than you realize. With strategies for relieving stress, critical thinking, recovering inner composure, and reclaiming the gifts of nature, you’ll learn to transform your distress into steady calm and strength.

As you move from a state of emotional whiplash into greater balance and harmony, you can redirect your energy, manage your feelings, and cultivate healthier habits. Ultimately, you’ll learn to become an “upstander”—a force for improving the conditions that fuel your fears. With a relatable style and a heaping dose of hope, Triggered is a timely antidote for a world in turmoil.

Genres: Self Help, Psychology, Mental Health, Nonfiction, Health, Counselling, Audiobook

283 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2020

Reviews

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 5/17, as selected by Stevo's Book Reviews on the Internet and Stevo's Novel Ideas. A Powerful Guide for Overcoming the Emotional Challenges of Our Turbulent Times.

Find more Business Books of the week on my Goodreads Listopia page at https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9..., and find many more recommended books on my Amazon Influencer page at https://www.amazon.com/shop/stevo4747 or by searching for me on Google.

[Moryma · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the book was just the parts where she focused on the reader, I would have given it 5 stars (great breadth of coping strategies, the portions on the types of reactors were very useful) but the significant portions where she talked at some length about herself and her causes (and their hopelessness) were actually stressful to read. YMMV but I couldn’t wait to finish the book, rather than get another surprise attack.

[Lisa J Shultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for reading during the pandemic. That being said, it was published just before the Covid outbreak and I would love to see a second edition that addresses a global pandemic. The book still applies to our current times with excellent advice on how to calm one's triggers and styles of emotional inflammation. I will be sharing the book with family and friends and reference it in conversation frequently.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books of 2022! By the end of this book I had many pages marked up and post it notes with highlights. So many aha moments! If you read this book be sure and take the quiz.

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here; same “identify your feelings, feel feelings, don’t push down fillings; find triggers from bad childhood trauma”

Although I liked the title of this book I found it one of the least helpful in the genre. It repeats well established information and combines that with exhaustive “a study says” and random client stories that aren’t very illustrative.

And while there are “quizzes” I found the book lacked actionable direction.

[ReadingMama · Rating 3 out of 5]

문제는 당신이 아니다. 많은 사람들이 감정의 상처를 가지고 있다. 그 이유는 일, 스트레스, 환경, 등등에서 오는 생물적인 반응이다. 그러므로 감정수업이 필요하다. 특히 19-32 살세대를 보면 소셜미디아에 너무 많이 의지함으로 사회적으로 많이 소외감을 느낀다. 생체시계를 다시 잡아야 된다. 쉬는시간, 자는시간, 자연과 어울리는 시간등 규칙적인 계획이 필요하다.

정서는 전염될수있다. 특히 민감도가 높은 사람은 스스로 자기 마음을 지켜야 한다. 정서지능이란 자신의 감정을 파악하고, 주체할수 있는 능력을 말한다.

저자가 보여주는 해결책: RESTORE
R:Recognize feelings
E:Evaluate triggers (i.e. mom, hubby, kids, work)
S:Steady innate rhythms
T:
O:Obey signal
R:REclaim the gifts of nature
E:Exercise one’s power

Psychiatrist Van Susteren and the health writer Collino deliver a plan to recognize and overcome emotional and physical equilibrium by providing a “RESTORE” plan.
“We have been depriving ourselves of natural remedies that are readily available. While they are not necessarily easy to make habitual, they are simple to initiate.”

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the emotional reactor quiz and found that helpful. The book offered tips on reducing emotional inflammation that were backed by science. However, many of them, while undoubtedly helpful would be difficult to implement consistently. Many of us with our jobs cannot go to sleep and wake up at the same time on weekdays and weekends and many of us can't avoid technology for 1.5 hours until we sleep. I enjoyed that part about the importance of nature and how calming fractals and awe-inducing pictures of nature can be. I will be attempting to surround myself with nature more often as that felt like the most feasible suggestion of the book.

[Maryanne Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This practical, science based, and well written book introduces the concept of emotional inflammation, a condition many of us suffer from in the modern world. The authors provide useful techniques to address out of control anxiety and a customized action plan to effect positive change in the world, which will reduce the emotional inflammation we experience.

[Sam With Veggies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the way this book is set out. These are complex topics spoken in simple-to-understand language. It takes a holistic approach and talks at length about the biological effects of emotional charge rather than blaming it all on past trauma, which I find a lot of books do nowadays. I appreciated how holistic the information is in this book.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was well written. It explained a lot and provided exercises to explain different things. I'd suggest this book for someone interested in controlling emotions or working with people with difficulty controlling emotions.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book, objectively. I’ve just read a lot about this topic over the years and didn’t find a whole lot of new info in it (other than the concept and the reactor profiles). If you’re new to the topic, you may likely have a very different experience.

[Tracy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in-depth reality check on the emotional impact of your life circumstances and what triggers make one react. Valuable exercises throughout this work. Great insight and numerous other authors, and their books referenced.

[Izza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars |

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relentless bad news has traumatized everyone. This book shows how to manage and mitigate stress.

[Rob Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview. Clear writing. Helpful tips.

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had some helpful information. 3.75 stars

[Jen Pierron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Loved how the author looked at the mind body & soul connection as well as tied in nature, self care techniques, nutrition, different ways of exercise and mindfulness!

[haley anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers concrete science backed solutions to help you identify and cope with your emotions. My favorite aspect of this book are the fun facts and to-do lists at the end of each chapter.

[Lauren Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is my first self-help book I’ve ever read and the only way I could get through it without getting distracted was by imagining it was one of those animated tedtalks… I think that explains a lot

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2