Coping With Triggers in Long Term Recovery

Triggers can affect anyone at any stage in their recovery, even those that have been sober for many years. In early recovery, you may be more equipped to cope with triggers because you have been actively working with treatment staff to learn coping strategies and implement them in your recovery. While those who have been sober for longer may be more seasoned, they could be at risk of relapse when experiencing a trigger because triggers do not occur as frequently. Therefore, when a trigger appears after a significant amount of time, one may be scared, confused, or vulnerable when it happens. 

Refreshing your coping strategies every once in a while is crucial for maintaining recovery and coping with triggers. Consider these tips as you navigate triggers in your sober journey.

Identify Your Triggers

The first step in learning how to cope with triggers is by identifying them. You can’t expect to prepare for them if you aren’t sure what’s coming. By making a list of potential triggers, you can identify them quicker when they appear in your life. When you identify them, you can take steps to manage your reaction or avoid them entirely. While triggers are specific to individuals, some are common across the board. Use the list below to help you get started on identifying your triggers.

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Common relapse triggers include:

• Distressing emotions such as stress, anxiety, depression, or frustration can be triggering. You may be more likely to crave substances to relieve these emotions when they occur.
• Environmental cues such as social settings where drugs and alcohol are being used are common relapse triggers. Also, passing the place you used to buy or use drugs and alcohol can potentially trigger you.
• Dysfunctional home life can also be a potential trigger because it can reactivate specific addictive behaviors you used to survive.
• Spending time with individuals that still use drugs and alcohol can trigger you due to peer pressure. Even if these individuals don’t pressure you directly, their use around you can be enough to cause relapse.
• Unhealed trauma can lead to relapse because substance use often becomes a coping mechanism.

Revising Your Relapse Prevention Plan

When you left treatment, you most likely compiled a relapse prevention plan to help you cope with triggers and avoid relapse in the future. If triggers are starting to impact you more significantly, it could be time to revise this plan. Perhaps some of your old coping strategies aren’t working anymore, or you have new triggers. Whatever is happening in your recovery journey, revising this plan is crucial for maintaining sobriety over time.

1. You should ensure your plan includes a person that you can always rely on in your recovery. Whether this is a close friend or your sponsor, you need to ensure they are there to speak to and advise on both the good and bad days. 
2. You should also include the list of triggers you identified earlier. Having a physical inventory will help you be more aware of potential triggers. 
3. Having a list of local support groups is crucial for relapse prevention. Do your research and include names, numbers, and locations for groups you can take part in.
4. You should create a daily schedule that includes healthy habits for recovery, such as eating healthy meals, exercising, and having a regular sleep schedule. Having this daily schedule will help you have the energy and positive mood to get through even the most challenging days. 
5. Your plan should also include a list of pros and cons regarding sobriety and addiction. Write down the negatives of addiction to remind you why you got sober in the first place, and then write a list of positives that sobriety has given you. Having this list will help you overcome any temptations. 

Other Techniques For Coping With Triggers

Sometimes you need strategies to help you at the moment you experience a trigger. While you can prepare by identifying them and having a relapse prevention plan, it is how you react in the moment that will determine the impact of triggers on your recovery. Next time you experience a trigger, try these techniques to help you get through it: 

• Urge Surfing: This technique involves using mindfulness to overcome urges when you experience triggers. Rather than avoiding the feeling, noticing how the cravings make you feel and how they come and go will help you overcome them as you realize they are temporary.
• Talk About It: Calling a friend and discussing triggers can help you talk through them. Even if no one else is available to speak, you can journal your feelings and channel your energy into this without succumbing to the trigger.
• Challenge Your Thoughts: Remember that you don’t have to relapse just because you experienced a trigger. Challenging your thoughts with rational statements can help you realize that you are stronger than you may believe, thus overcoming triggers in the process.

Coping with triggers can be challenging for anyone in recovery, whether they are at the beginning of their journey or years into it. Many forget the techniques they used early on, thus leaving them unprepared for triggers later on. However, you can always teach yourself new strategies to cope with triggers and better prepare yourself for future experiences with them. If you are struggling with triggers in your recovery journey, NorthStar Transitions is here to help. We dedicate ourselves to assisting individuals in having a successful recovery experience through traditional and holistic methods. We offer various services to fit your needs, including outpatient and alumni programs if you don’t require intensive care. The NorthStar difference includes individualized care, evidence-based clinical support, and a staff that you can lean on wholly. To learn more about our programs and get help for your recovery, call (303) 558-6400 today. Healing begins and continues with NorthStar.