Five Common Addiction Triggers

During recovery, triggers can cause relapses. Common addiction triggers are environments, situations, emotions, and people that can cause you to experience cravings and potentially relapse. Whether you receive treatment at an outpatient or inpatient treatment center, common addiction triggers still put you at risk for relapsing following discharge. Everyone has unique triggers, but common addiction triggers include things like stress, anxiety, and significant life changes.

An important part of recovery is having a plan for how to cope with common addiction triggers in a healthy, productive way in order to prevent a relapse. Coping strategies work hand in hand with triggers. The more successful your coping strategies are, the less likely it is that triggers will lead to a relapse. Since nearly half of all people in recovery experience a relapse, identifying and coping with common addiction triggers is an invaluable way to prepare for recovery.

5 Common Addiction Triggers

During early recovery, triggers can put your sobriety at risk. After completing treatment and returning to the real world, it can be difficult to handle reminders of your past substance abuse and effectively deal with triggers.

Here are five common addiction triggers:

1. Stress and anxiety
2. People you used to use drugs or alcohol with
3. Places that you used to use
4. Major life events, such as a death in the family or a career change
5. Financial problems, such as difficulty paying bills

Triggers can be internal or external. Internal triggers are emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Feelings like boredom can be a trigger, especially in early recovery. Negative emotions, especially stress, are common addiction triggers many people must cope with throughout recovery.

During addiction, drugs and alcohol become a normal way to alleviate uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. Recovery requires you to find new, healthy ways to handle those thoughts and feelings, which can be difficult absent a strong support system.

How to Cope with Triggers

Finding healthy ways to cope with common addiction triggers can be difficult. You might find that physical exercise is a great way to handle stress. Activities like going to the gym, attending yoga classes or hiking can be helpful ways to cope with triggers. Since exercise releases endorphins, working out can improve your mood.

Other coping strategies that can help you deal with cravings and triggers can include things like developing a new hobby. Some hobbies you could try could be things like cooking or learning to play a musical instrument. You may also want to volunteer with organizations that you feel connected to, such as an animal shelter.

Finding the Best Treatment Center 

A Jacksonville FL drug rehab center can help you throughout your recovery process. This is done so teaching you about triggers and healthy coping mechanism through different programs:

• Group therapy
• 12 step approach to recovery
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Trauma therapy
• Anger management

When you are in early recovery, common addiction triggers can put you at risk for relapsing if you don’t have a plan for how to cope with them. If you or a loved one is battling a substance abuse problem, reaching out for help is the first step towards recovery. Call us today at 866.605.0532 to learn more about how our treatment programs can help you overcome addiction.