In recovery, triggers are an inevitable part of the journey. They can take many forms: certain places, emotions, or people that bring up the urge to fall back into old habits. Recognizing these triggers is crucial for staying on track, but it’s not always easy.
By understanding what sets off those cravings, you can better prepare to handle them when they arise. This blog will guide you through identifying your triggers and offer ways to manage them, helping you stay in control of your recovery.
What Are Triggers in Recovery?
Triggers are situations, emotions, people, or places that can cause strong cravings or urges to return to old habits, like substance use. In recovery, identifying these triggers is essential because they’re one of the most common reasons people relapse.
Triggers don’t always look the same for everyone; what might be a trigger for one person could be totally different for someone else. They can come from external factors, like being in a stressful situation, or internal factors, like feeling sad or anxious.
Examples of Addiction Triggers
- Stress from work or other responsibilities: Feeling overwhelmed by tasks or deadlines can trigger cravings as a way to cope. It’s easy to feel stressed by everyday things, so learning how to manage the amount of stress in your life is key to recovery.
- Arguments with family or friends: Conflict can create emotional distress that makes old habits feel like a quick escape.
- Social gatherings with past users: Being around people who use substances can trigger the urge to join in or return to old behaviors.
- Feelings of loneliness: When feeling isolated, the temptation to use substances to numb emotions can become stronger.
- Celebrations or parties: Events that involve alcohol or drugs can be a trigger for relapse.
- Certain locations or environments: Being in places tied to past substance use can bring back memories and cravings.
- Boredom or lack of activity: When there’s nothing to do, old habits can feel like an easy way to pass the time.
- Negative emotions like anger or sadness: Intense emotions can create a desire to escape, leading to cravings for substances.
Identifying Triggers in Recovery
Identifying your triggers takes some time and self-awareness. The more you understand what sets off these urges, the better you’ll be equipped to handle them without slipping back into substance use.
Pay Attention to Urges
The first step in identifying your triggers is simply paying attention to your urges. Ask yourself: When do I feel the strongest desire to use? Is it when I’m in a certain environment, around specific people, or engaged in particular activities? These questions can help you pinpoint situations that trigger cravings.
For instance, you might notice that you’re more tempted to drink when you’re at parties or bars, or that certain social situations make you feel anxious and trigger a desire to escape. Being mindful of these urges will allow you to spot patterns and adjust your behavior or routine to avoid these triggers in the future.
Keep a Journal
Journaling is an excellent tool for identifying and understanding your triggers. Writing down your thoughts and emotions each day can help you see connections between your feelings and your cravings. Try to note when you feel the urge to use, and reflect on the situation, people, and emotions that were involved.
Over time, you’ll start to notice trends, whether it’s specific people you interact with, stressful situations at work, or moments of loneliness that tend to trigger your cravings. By getting into the habit of journaling, you can track these patterns and use this insight to take action before cravings become overwhelming.
Look for Patterns
Triggers often have an emotional component. Common emotions like stress, sadness, anger, or frustration can be closely tied to the urge to use substances. Pay attention to how your emotions shift throughout the day and how those feelings might trigger cravings. For example, if stress from work or a difficult conversation leads you to reach for a drink or substance, that’s a clear emotional trigger.
Recognizing these emotional patterns can help you create healthier coping mechanisms for dealing with these feelings. Instead of turning to substances, you might find that taking a walk, practicing deep breathing, or calling a friend helps to manage those emotions in a healthy way.
Ask Yourself Questions
When you feel the urge to fall back into old habits, take a moment to pause and ask yourself what’s going on around you. Is there a specific person, place, or event involved? Are you feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or emotionally drained? Taking a step back and evaluating the situation helps you make a more conscious decision rather than acting impulsively.
For example, if you feel the urge to use while at a family gathering, ask yourself: Is it the people here who remind me of past behaviors? Or is it the stress of being around certain individuals? Once you pinpoint the factor, you can make a plan to address it—whether that’s leaving the situation, calling someone for support, or using a grounding technique.
Build a Support System
Having comprehensive support is hugely beneficial to recovery: family members, peers with shared experiences, and professionals all provide a specific type of support. This multi-pronged approach will help you heal from your addiction as well as the root causes behind it.
Working with a therapist or counselor is one of the most effective ways to get a clearer view of your triggers. They can help you spot patterns that might be hard to see on your own and provide strategies for coping with them in healthy ways.
Group therapy is also a great resource; many find it extremely helpful to be around others who are going through similar challenges. It allows you to learn from other people’s experiences and get ideas for how they’ve dealt with their triggers. This helps both of you feel less alone, giving you more confidence to handle your own struggles.
Don’t forget about the importance of support from loved ones in your recovery. The people who have been with you throughout your journey often see things from a different perspective. They may notice patterns or triggers that you miss because you’re too close to the situation. By being open with them about what you’re experiencing, they can offer support and feedback that will help you identify triggers before they get the best of you.
How to Cope with Triggers
Once you know your triggers, the next step is figuring out how to deal with them. When you’re in recovery, triggers can feel overwhelming, but having a plan in place gives you a sense of control. The goal is to address the urge in the moment, without giving in to old habits. Here are several effective ways to cope with triggers when they arise:
Distract Yourself
When a trigger hits, one of the quickest ways to regain control is to distract your mind. Doing something that requires focus can break the cycle of cravings and refocus your attention. Take a walk, dive into a book, or watch a funny video.
Sometimes, even something as simple as making a cup of tea or doing a puzzle can be enough to shift your focus and calm your mind. The key is finding an activity that pulls you away from the situation and gives you time to regain your balance.
Take Deep Breaths
Deep breathing is a simple but powerful tool to help you cope with triggers. When your body feels stressed or anxious, breathing deeply can calm both your body and your mind. Try the 4-4-4 technique: inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, then exhale slowly for 4 seconds.
Repeat this a few times to help slow your heart rate and clear your mind. Deep breathing activates your body’s relaxation response, helping to reduce the intensity of the trigger and giving you time to refocus on your recovery.
Avoid the Trigger
If possible, avoid situations, people, or environments that you know are likely to trigger cravings. Whether it’s certain locations or specific social groups, staying away from these triggers can help you maintain control. Sometimes, this might mean changing your routine or even cutting off contact with certain people.
It’s about protecting yourself in the short term while you work on building stronger coping mechanisms for the future. Avoidance can be an essential tool, especially in the early stages of recovery when your triggers may feel more intense.
Use Positive Self-Talk
When you feel a trigger coming on, remind yourself why you’re in recovery. Positive self-talk can be incredibly powerful in these moments. Reassure yourself that you’ve made progress and that your recovery is worth the effort. Saying something as simple as, “I am strong and capable of getting through this,” or “This moment will pass,” can help shift your mindset.
By focusing on the positive aspects of your journey and your goals, you remind yourself that giving in is not the solution — it’s just a temporary escape that won’t help in the long run.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of staying fully present in the moment, without getting caught up in the past or future. When you’re triggered, your mind may race with thoughts of past behaviors or fears about your future, but mindfulness can help center you. Focus on your surroundings, pay attention to your breathing, or notice the sensations in your body.
Mindfulness brings you back to the “here and now,” allowing you to detach from any strong emotions or cravings that might pull you into old habits. It teaches you how to be aware of your thoughts and feelings without letting them control you.
Create a New Routine
Building a routine supporting your goals and well-being is a big part of staying on track in recovery. Trying new hobbies or activities can help you build a new, healthier lifestyle while distancing yourself from old triggers.
Whether it’s picking up a new sport, learning a musical instrument, or volunteering for a cause you care about, finding activities that engage your mind and body can be a great distraction. A new routine helps replace old habits with positive ones, and the more enjoyable and fulfilling the activities are, the easier it becomes to stay focused on recovery.
Reach Out for Support
When you’re feeling triggered, it’s important to reach out for support. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or a therapist, talking to someone you trust can help you work through what you’re feeling. Sometimes, just expressing your thoughts and emotions out loud is enough to release some of the pressure and reduce the urge.
If you’re in a support group, don’t hesitate to turn to a fellow member who understands what you’re going through. For those who’ve completed an inpatient rehabilitation program, an aftercare program can help maximize how effective your treatment was. Aftercare can come in the form of completing an outpatient program to preserve a high level of structure in your life as you navigate the transition into recovery outside of rehab. It can also be in the form of a relapse prevention plan, which includes tactics to follow like receiving counseling and other therapies, that you can use as a resource to guide you along the way.
Take Control of Your Recovery
Understanding and managing triggers is crucial to staying on track in recovery. With the right strategies and support, you can navigate cravings and keep moving forward in a healthier direction.
At Northpoint Denver, we offer outpatient addiction programs — including aftercare programs — that focus on giving you the tools to identify and cope with triggers so you can stay focused on your long-term recovery.
Contact us today to learn how our programs can help you stay strong and continue your journey to lasting recovery.