A friend once told me how much she loved the smell of lavender. She found it soothing and enjoyed it in her lotion, aroma diffuser, and oatmeal latte. I’ve always wanted to be a lavender person and have given it a legitimate try. But for whatever reason, I despise the smell of lavender and find my mood changes when I smell it, and not positively.
Triggers can be funny like that. They are different for every person. Your triggers could be something big, like a person or a place. They could be something as small as the whiff of an herb you don’t really like. Sometimes, they are easily explainable, and our dislike of them can be traced easily back to an adverse experience. Other times, they may not make a lot of sense.
The American Psychological Association defines a trigger as “a stimulus that elicits a reaction.” When it comes to addiction, triggers are important to pay attention to. This article will explain why and will provide some practical suggestions for managing the triggers in your life.
Why is Avoiding Triggers in Addiction Important?
Answered simply, exposure to triggers can significantly increase a person’s risk for relapse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes triggers as “stress cues” and explains that triggers and exposure to drugs are the most common reasons for relapse. Triggers often cause urges and cravings, which make abstinence difficult. When emotions, trauma, relationships, chronic pain, or any number of mental health issues are left unaddressed, we may be setting ourselves up for relapse.
How to Avoid Triggers in Addiction
We actually might have more control over the triggers in our lives than we realize, and there are many things we can do proactively to avoid them. Here are four areas you can set yourself up for success:
- Control or change your environment. We usually know the places and events in our lives that are high risk for substance use. Sometimes, even a simple adjustment to plans or routine can be enough, such as skipping the pregame tailgate or calling it an early evening after a concert.
- Build a support network of sobriety. Spend more time with sober friends in your network, connect with a sponsor, and ask your family for support. They want you to be happy and might want the opportunity to be there for you more than you think.
- Strive for healthy living. Sometimes, people in sobriety struggle with the extra time they have now that they aren’t using substances. Boredom can be a trigger in itself, so work to replace that time with healthy habits. Exercise, meditation, daily reading time, and devotions or journaling are all healthy coping mechanisms that can help you build up resistance to triggers.
- Create a routine (that you actually like). A daily and weekly structure can help reduce your exposure to unwanted triggers. It will reduce boredom and keep you focused on your priorities. Some people like to plan out their ideal week, including time for therapy, friends, and extracurricular activities. The closer you stick to your ideal week, the better your chances of avoiding triggers.
How to Manage Unavoidable Triggers
No matter how hard we try, some events or interactions that trigger us will be unavoidable. Accepting this and having a plan or strategies for when you find yourself in high-risk situations can be very helpful. Here are three things that might help manage triggers in addiction:
- Always be ready with some breathing exercises and grounding techniques. The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise that uses all five senses is a favorite, as is 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, exhale for eight seconds).
- Schedule therapy and support group meetings into your week. Regular meetings help maintain accountability and might be just what you need if something unexpected happens. Having them on the calendar relieves the stress of needing to schedule them the moment something happens.
- Medication. In some cases, medications might be appropriate to help reduce cravings. This is called medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Work with a medical professional to see if this is an appropriate option for you.
Addiction Treatment at Pinnacle Detox & Recovery
Avoiding triggers in addiction is critical to long-term sobriety. Everyone’s triggers are different, and learning how to best manage them can take time and support. At Pinnacle Detox & Recovery, we believe in comprehensive addiction treatment. This may include detox, therapeutic options, holistic wellness, and a focus on long-term relapse prevention. If you or a loved one have been considering addiction treatment, contact us today. You deserve to have control over the addictions and triggers in your life. We can help you get there.
