The following are the stages that you may go through:

1. Identify a Trigger. An event that is registered by you as a threat.
2. Feel a Strong Emotion. You suddenly feel differently as a result of the trigger.
3. An Automatic Reaction. You automatically respond based on the trigger and the emotion you feel. It is likely that you will regret your reaction later on which can have a negative effect on you and others.
4. Regret. Feelings of regret about your reaction.

Exercise:

Consider a situation in the past that you experienced an Emotional Hijack.  Answer the following questions:

• What happened?
• Why did you behave that way?
• What were the consequences?
• How did it affect others?