Enlist the help of a friend, counselor or sponsor to get down the triggers you may not think of right off the bat. For many people, engaging socially and forming a support system in recovery can feel exhausting. Some people will try to avoid it altogether, which can lead to prolonged isolation and mounting loneliness. Without other people around, it’s easier to talk yourself into drug or alcohol use and rationalize it.
- Research has shown that certain triggers or cues bring back seeking or wanting behaviors involving drugs and alcohol.4 Here are a few of the most common relapse triggers someone in recovery may experience.
- Addiction often develops because people use drugs or alcohol to feel better about their current situation.
- These data suggest that naltrexone interfered with endogenous opioid peptide (EOP) tone that mediated these cravings.
- There’s no way to prevent fireworks from occurring or certain words from being spoken around you.
Challenging Emotions
The sound of machinery, the scent of a specific flower or the preparation of a specific type of food could be a trigger for you. It’s possible for any external trigger to happen without you being aware of the event that caused it. For example, visiting a family member’s home may make you uncomfortable, but you don’t know why. Years later, you may work with a therapist to uncover the abuse that occurred there. Overconfidence in recovery can be dangerous, as it can lead to a false sense of security, making you more likely to take risks and eventually relapse. It’s important to remain conscious of the fact that addiction is a chronic illness, and relapse is always a possibility.
- Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and adequate sleep can enhance physical and mental well-being, increasing resilience against triggers.
- Currently, 75% of all health care dollars are spent on treating these diseases or resultant disabilities.
2.4. Sugar
So, let’s dive in and equip ourselves with the tools needed for a resilient recovery. Identifying triggers for relapse is essential because they are the situations, emotions, or circumstances that increase the likelihood of engaging in addictive behaviors. By recognizing these triggers, individuals can develop effective coping strategies and relapse relapse triggers list prevention plans to navigate through challenging situations.
Gateway Foundation Hosts its Annual Connecting for Recovery Luncheon
It will inevitably create difficulties in your recovery process to be exposed to these situations. Effectively handling substance use triggers requires a well-rounded approach. The goal is to develop a robust set of strategies that can be deployed as needed, to manage the diverse and often unpredictable nature of these triggers.
- Practicing gratitude through journaling in recovery or reflection can shift focus from challenges to positive aspects of life.
- If there are any concerns about content we have published, please reach out to us at
- Staying open and honest with your doctor during recovery can help prevent relapse.
- Adding a soft drink to a fast food meal increases the sugar content 10-fold.
Avoiding High-Risk Areas
For instance, if you’re an alcoholic and a group of drinking buddies ask you to go out, or you see people from work going to happy hour, it might help to have a specific response ready. Just like the treatment process, preventing relapse is a highly individualized process, but staying in treatment for the recommended amount of time is one of the primary factors that will help you stay sober. Managing internal triggers requires introspection and mindful behavior, which is why therapy and addiction treatment is so helpful. Recovery is not a destination but a journey, and managing triggers is an ongoing process. As you progress in your recovery, you may find that your triggers change or that new ones emerge. Chronic pain or illness can be a significant trigger, especially for those who previously used substances to self-medicate.
Some types of triggers are commonly found across most people in the recovery Halfway house population. The most common trigger is experiencing the presence of a drug or alcoholic drink. Relapse triggers are social, psychological, and emotional situations and events that may lead an addicted person to seek out their substance of choice and ultimately relapse.