When you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, each day can be full of addiction triggers that continue your vicious cycle of substance abuse. That’s why trying to overcome addiction and achieve sobriety can be so challenging, as triggers in addiction can be anywhere and everywhere. So what are triggers in addiction, and how can you learn to avoid or overcome them as you seek recovery?
What are Addiction Triggers?
On the surface, addiction triggers are anything that you associate with your addiction. They may be people, places, smells, experiences, or feelings that trigger your desire to use substances. Addiction triggers can be both external and internal.
External Triggers in Addiction
External triggers in addiction are more obvious. Maybe it’s the bar you’re used to getting drunk at all the time. Or perhaps it’s that friend who uses drugs with you. Or it’s seeing others drinking at a party or smoking marijuana at the park. Here’s a list of common external triggers in addiction you may encounter on a regular basis:
- People who use
- Social gatherings, holidays, and celebrations
- Specific places like bars, restaurants, happy hour hangouts, or a friend’s house
- Advertisements (especially for alcohol)
- Proximity to substances
- Sights, smells, or tastes of substances
Internal Addiction Triggers
On the other hand, internal addiction triggers may be harder to notice—and harder to avoid. Stress is often a major internal trigger, as it can lead you to seek substances to cope. The same goes for any other negative feeling. Frequently, the acronym HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired) is used to describe common emotions that can trigger you to make poor choices (such as substance abuse) that affect your health and well-being, shares the Addiction Policy Forum.
Yet even deeper, internal addiction triggers can be associated with unresolved past trauma (even childhood trauma). After all, addiction is often the result of using substances to cope with the effects of trauma. That’s why any one thing or feeling that reminds you of your trauma—or stirs up traumatic memories—can lead you to experience negative emotions that can trigger you to pursue substances.
Tips for Navigating and Overcoming Triggers in Addiction Recovery
Knowing your triggers is a key relapse prevention strategy in addiction recovery. But if you’re trying to get sober, knowing your triggers is only half the battle. You also need to learn how to manage your triggers (especially internal ones) in the moment. Here are some key ways to navigate and overcome addiction triggers in recovery:
Be Aware of Your Body’s Signals
Recognizing physical cues of distress in your body can help signal to you that you’re being triggered, allowing you to catch triggers before they lead to actions. These signals may be increased heart rate, tightness in your chest, or muscle tension. It’s also a good idea to pay attention to any fight-or-flight response you may be experiencing due to trauma. Learning to recognize when you’re feeling anxious, numb, or detached will keep you from doing something impulsive to cope.
Reflect on the Source
Healthy inward curiosity can help you reduce the power of your triggers in addiction. Instead of automatically reacting to the addiction triggers, think about the events, feelings, or circumstances that led to your triggers. Rather than judging yourself for getting triggered (which may cause negative feelings that lead to further triggers), reflect on the why of the trigger so you can see it for what it truly is—something that doesn’t have to dictate your life.
Apply Self-Regulation Techniques
You may be conditioned to seek out coping mechanisms as a way to respond to triggers. Instead, it’s a good idea to use self-regulation techniques to prevent triggers from causing you to do something you’ll regret later. These tools help you better regulate your emotions in the moment instead of trying to mask or numb them:
- Hold ice cubes or splash cold water on your face to regulate your heart rate and calm any nerves
- Use breathwork practices like paced breathing to calm your body when you feel anxious
- Exercise or engage in physical activity (doing pushups or jumping jacks, for example) can help bring you back to the present when you begin to feel numb
- Pay attention to what you can see, feel, smell, taste, and hear in the moment can keep you grounded and keep you from spiraling
Talk to Someone You Trust
Have a close friend, loved one, or accountability partner you can call upon when addiction triggers strike. As you share your struggles, your triggers will lose their grip. Processing your addiction triggers can also give you the opportunity to receive vital support. And your accountability partner may be able to help you recognize when you’re experiencing euphoric recall, too.
Make Sacrifices to Avoid Addiction Triggers
In terms of external triggers in addiction, you need to take steps to remove them from your life if you’re truly wanting to achieve long term recovery. This may mean making tough sacrifices, such as no longer pursuing certain activities, visiting specific places, or spending time with various friends who are triggering.
Overcome Addiction Triggers and Heal From Addiction in Vermont
If you truly want to overcome your triggers and your addiction in the process, the best way to do so is to seek professional addiction treatment. At Sana at Stowe, our rehabs in Vermont can help you learn to understand both your triggers and coping skills for addiction, as well as heal from the root causes of your struggles. Call our team today to learn more about our drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.
