Anniversaries - such as the death of a loved one - are potential depression triggers. Also, individuals prone to depression are likely to ruminate way too much. If you find yourself over-thinking on the nine billion reasons why your life sucks, then you need to get out of your head fast, This is when I usually head to the kitchen and start chopping vegetables. Nothing like a sharp blade going within milli-microns of my finger tips to turn my focus on something completely different.

The huge trigger - whether for mania or depression or anxiety - is stress. Money worries, relationship worries, work worries, driving in traffic - you name it. If you see stress coming, you need to act on it now. It may mean breaking off a disturbing phone conversation. It may involve taking a sick day.

My next articles in my recovery series will be dealing at great length with stress. Mindfulness and stress-management are very much connected. To act in a positive manner to stress, first we have to be mindful of what our stressors are.

Finally, we all have our unique triggers, things that seemingly affect no one else except you or I. Having to phone tech support is my great achilles heel. I literally feel my mind - as well as my sanity - running away. I achieved something of a break-through the other day when I realized that the underlying issue probably has to do with my feeling that I am not in control of the situation. That I am helpless, totally at the mercy of a stranger I have no trust in to rescue me.

Really, you do not want to be around me in this state.

So part of what I need to work on is to pick up when I start to feel myself losing control, and then figure out what to do. This is what mindfulness and identifying mood triggers is all about. As you can see, Stardust, I’m still learning.