External Trigger vs Internal Trigger: Why We Act

Even people who are incredibly close to you may act as relapse triggers. That’s one reason that it’s so important for your loved ones to be on board with your recovery. Learning to identify cravings and triggers is a crucial step in recovery. You also need to learn new ways to cope with the relapse triggers as well as your cravings so that you can overcome them and avoid relapse.

You may even consider keeping a daily journal to record your experiences. Some people prefer one-on-one therapy to recovery https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/dealing-with-internal-and-external-relapse-triggers/ groups or 12-step programs. Others find success with therapy in addition to self-help groups or other means of support.

Trigger Management: Healthy Coping Skills

Substance abuse treatment aims to help individuals recognize the early warning signs of relapse and develop healthy coping skills to thwart a potential relapse. When it comes down to situations, everyone handles adversity differently. While some people manage difficult situations with ease, people in recovery can easily slip back into old habits when dealing with new situations. For instance, the death of a loved one can easily trigger a relapse in a recovering addict. Some, people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction feel as though they can’t mix and mingle without the use of substances.

If you don’t already have a trusted therapist, you may want to meet with several before finding one you feel comfortable with who meets your needs. Therapy tends to take time, so having patience with yourself and the process can be essential to long-term success. Learning tools to manage triggers can make a big difference in how you respond to — and ultimately cope with — them.

External Triggers: A Comprehensive Overview

In doing so, you will be able to spot the different signs of addiction and protect yourself better in the future. Often, relapse will be preceded by a trigger that causes someone to start thinking about relapsing or creates a craving for a substance that was previously used. These triggers can be difficult to recognize and can completely disrupt a recovery if they lead to relapse. Recognition and avoidance of potential triggers will be a key part of any recovery process.

Cognitive behavioral therapy to help individuals control their impulses, which can lower compulsions. The clinicians should support the patients attempts at recovery regardless of how many times they tried in the past (and relapsed). Because addiction is a chronic relapsing disease, relapse can occur, though, at any time in the recovery processsome people relapse after having been in recovery for years.

The Influence of Environment and Situations

What is most important is identifying your unique triggers and learning to cope with them in a way that is healthy and positive. As someone on a lifelong sobriety journey, I can attest to moments where triggers still pop into my life. Our ability to overcome and stay focused minimizes the impact these triggers can have. External triggers https://ecosoberhouse.com/ are particular locations, activities, things, people, places, objects, situations, smells, tastes, images, and events that make the person want to drink alcohol or use drugs. Emotions like anger, guilt, irritability, and low self-esteem can surface when individuals are triggered, spiraling into various behaviors and compulsions.

• Focusing on activities you love can fill the time you might have spent using substances.
• As someone on a lifelong sobriety journey, I can attest to moments where triggers still pop into my life.
• Triggers refer to the experience of having an emotional reaction to a disturbing topic (such as violence or the mention of suicide) in the media or a social setting.
• Some triggers can be especially hard to face, but attempting to ignore them can lead to relapse and more pain.
• 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.

If a lapse or relapse occurs, the patient should be encouraged and guided by the clinician to explore the relapse itself and the circumstances surrounding it, including any early warning signs of relapse. This knowledge can then be used as a learning experience toward improved understanding and skills for relapse prevention in the future. Increasing attendance at mutual self-help group (e.g., Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous) meetings and boosting other personal support can exert additional positive effects. “An example might be a person with a substance use disorder who finds walking by a bar or smelling alcohol prompts cravings and thoughts of drinking,” he explains. Though commonly used to refer to the experiences of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the term “trigger” can also be used in the context of other mental health illnesses. This includes substance use disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety.

External triggers, on the other hand, stem from environmental factors. Recognizing and understanding both types of triggers can significantly enhance an individual’s recovery progress and help prevent relapses. At New Method Wellness, we can help you learn more about triggers, relapse and addiction.