Relapse Triggers People, Places & Things Causing Cravings

These are 10 of the most common triggers in addiction recovery, along with quick tips on how to avoid them. Some people experience a whirlwind of emotions when seeing old friends and loved ones, which can trigger the desire to have a drink. Other people may become so stressed out by the push to perform at school or work that they are tempted by the feelings produced by stimulants. Expecting internal and external triggers triggers and planning to cope with them effectively is the best way to defend against addiction relapse. Drug use can often be the crutch we use to deal with problematic emotions. Perhaps your previous patterns of drug abuse were prompted by anxiety over your workload, or maybe you’re strongly compelled to use whenever you feel depressed, lonely, frustrated, angry or irritable.

Some can push individuals to adopt unhealthy ways of coping, such as self-harm, harm to others, and substance abuse. Seeking help from a substance abuse treatment program that develops relapse prevention plans can help you cope with triggers. Additionally, feeling connected and supported gives individuals access to resources such as treatment programs or support group activities that can help them avoid addictive behaviors.

Positive Emotions.

Actually, both are necessary, one to get initial abstinence and the other to help the addict to resolve the frustration underlying drug addiction. Then, they can stop the thoughts from going in a negative direction. Become skillful through practice at managing the triggers you cannot avoid. Jobs that expose you to the object of your addiction can be triggers. Bartenders who become addicted need to find another profession, as bars are notorious places for both alcoholism and drug addiction. If you work in a drug-infested environment, such as a restaurant or with others who addict, your chances of recovery fall to close to zero.

They help with forming positive social connections and help treat depression and anxiety in combination with other therapies. However, there is no doubt that addictive disorders have a strong subjective component that is not fully fitted with the present models. Of special interest is the role of the so called “Big Five” personality traits in the risk for drug addiction (Andreassen et al., 2013). Part of setting up a safe recovery environment entails eliminating as many triggers as possible. It can be painful, for example, to let go of important relationships contaminated by addiction.

Normal Feelings That Trigger Relapse

These triggers are thoughts or emotions that make you want to use drugs. During therapy for people experiencing emotional relapse, patients are encouraged to identify their denial and focus on self-care. The research maintained that subconscious cues are dangerous because they reinforce the patient’s desire to restart using drugs without them being aware of it. Researchers highlighted the importance of avoiding the people, places and things that remind patients of their former lifestyle.

On the other hand, external relapse triggers can be individuals, places, situations, or objects that bring you back to your addiction days. Addiction often develops because people use drugs or alcohol to feel better about their current situation. Whether it’s a new and stressful event or a distressing emotional state, substance abuse often turns off feelings of discomfort. In recovery, people don’t have that option and often struggle to accept and process negative feelings.