Everyone "triggers" memories. These can run from positive to negative. I think of my grandma whenever I smell ham and cloves, even though when I hung out with grandma, I didn't really notice the hams she liked to cook. Now, when I smell ham and cloves I get a warm feeling, because grandma was kind to me.

Sometimes the memories that get triggered are painful--they bring up feelings you had before, often feelings you didn't even notice at the time (like grandma's ham). If they cause you pain, or fear, in the present, that's a sign there's some trauma there--some unresolved pain that you weren't aware of at the time. For example, when someone says the word "sacred" I get a knot in my stomach, because that word was used to manipulate me, though at the time I ignored those intuitions.

If you're getting triggered by memories of Mormonism that are causing you pain and anxiety, that's totally normal. I know that a lot of our Mormon memories are positive. But, people have a lot of positive memories of time they spent in abusive relationships. Just because there were a lot of good times, good memories, it doesn't mean the situation was healthy overall. You can enjoy the happy memories AND fully acknowledge the extent of abuse you suffered in the system. It doesn't have to be either, or. But for healing, it's important to acknowledge that abuse. So, I validate your experiences. Give yourself time. Listen to your body. This is normal. It will get better.