Recovery is not linear, but rather it takes twists and turns along the way. You will have good days and bad days, and understanding each’s underlying causes is vital to being successful in recovery. One of the most common causes of bad days in recovery is triggers.
Triggers differ from person to person, but everyone that has gone through addiction deals with them at some level in recovery. From mild to severe, triggers can become overwhelming if you are not equipped with the right tools to combat them. By understanding what triggers are, learning how to identify yours, and learning how to cope with them, you can set yourself up for success in recovery one step at a time.
Triggers have many forms and vary between individuals, but generally, they are environmental cues that cause mental or emotional distress and put an individual at risk of relapse. Triggers can be internal or external and can range from sights, sounds, memories, thoughts, or even touch. They are often accompanied by overwhelming feelings of anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and a need to escape the situation. For these reasons, individuals often turn to their substance of choice as a coping mechanism. However, this will only exacerbate the problem and harm their overall recovery.
Differentiating between specific types of triggers, such as internal and external, can help those in recovery learn how to cope. Various signs point to what kind of trigger you are facing if you slow down and examine them.
Internal triggers are thoughts and feelings that lead to intense cravings for drugs or alcohol. Many people associate feeling down or depressed with addiction, but positive emotions can also serve as internal triggers. Common internal triggers include celebrations, increased stress, suppressed feelings, anxiety, depression, and overconfidence in recovery.
On the other hand, external triggers are environmental situations that cause intense cravings for drugs and alcohol. These can differ depending on the person and their own life experiences, but generally include:
Some triggers are easier to identify because they cause physical symptoms. However, some may be more difficult to spot due to their psychological effects. The symptoms that triggers might cause are generally broken down into two categories: physical and psychological. By knowing these various signs and symptoms, you can identify specific triggers in your recovery and adequately manage them.
Because of the intensity that triggers often bring, many people attempt to avoid them at all costs. However, this is an impractical approach and usually ends up worsening triggers. For this reason, it is crucial to learn how to efficiently remove triggers and work through them when they appear in your recovery journey. There are various ways of doing this, and every technique won’t work for each individual. However, trying out a couple and seeing which ones work best for you is the best way to manage and prevent future triggers. Some techniques to help you manage triggers include:
Anyone that has struggled with addiction will deal with triggers from time to time. This is because addiction is a chronic disease that you constantly have to work against to succeed in sobriety. One of the main ways of finding such success is learning how to manage triggers efficiently. Managing triggers can be a daunting task at first, but you will learn how to face them and not allow them to overwhelm you over time. Learning how to manage triggers takes time and patience, but you are strong enough to do it. If you need help learning how to manage triggers, NorthStar Transitions has got your back. We work with men and women of all ages that have struggled with addiction and use our evidence-based practices to help them reclaim their lives in recovery. Visit our beautiful Colorado facility or call us today to learn more about our programs at (303) 558-6400.
