Addiction and Triggers – How to Spot Them & Avoid Them

When you’re going through addiction recovery at a rehab center, you’re taking steps on a journey to a new life for yourself. Every journey has its setbacks, however. In recovery treatment, some of the most major setbacks can come from what are called “triggers.”

Triggers are the things that tempt people back into using drugs or alcohol. You can learn to deal with these triggers so that they’re less dangerous to your recovery.

What Are Triggers? What Are Some Of The More Common Triggers?

Triggers are defined as any kind of impetus that drives people to use drugs or alcohol again. That may seem like a very broad definition, but it’s purposefully open-ended because a trigger can be almost anything. Some of the more common triggers include:

• Seeing people who you used to use drugs or alcohol with
• Objects or places that remind you of using alcohol or drugs
• Discouragement, depression, and other negative emotions
• Places or events where you’re encouraged to use alcohol or drugs

Triggers can run the gamut from New Year’s Eve parties to running into an old friend. Because of their common nature, it’s not possible to avoid them for the rest of your life. You can, however, develop skills to make sure that not every trigger turns into a relapse.

How To Deal With Triggers When They Pop Up?

Some of the more effective steps you can take to fight against the temptation to use alcohol or drugs again include:

• Maintaining mindfulness-including acknowledging and recognizing the temptation to use alcohol or drugs
• Getting help-often by reaching out to others, such as your family, friends or support group
• Learning from your past triggers to find out which are the strongest, most tempting situations or things

Finding Effective Rehab That Takes Insurance

Triggers should never be underestimated. They can strike without warning, and they can be very hard to resist. That’s why effective rehab centers will include relapse prevention programs, which make dealing with triggers part of their focus. Call Retreat at Lancaster County or Palm Beach County today to learn how we can work with your insurance to make your rehab stay partially or totally paid for.