Triggers

[PnorkelPW]

Addiction is different for everybody. We all have different experiences that resulted in where we’ve ended up. Understanding what triggers us to use goes a long way to finding the solutions that will work for us. These triggers are barriers and are what lead to lapse and relapse…………and not just in early attempts at recovery. We need to be aware of our triggers because they can trip us up at any stage in the future.

This forum works because people learn from the experience of others and by sharing parts of your story you can help yourself and others. Maybe what you share helps someone else understand what’s happening for them or identify a solution to their problem. It would be great to hear what your triggers are and if you have anything you do to combat them.

So………….what are your triggers???

[PnorkelPW]

I’ll start this off………..some of mine are……….

Loneliness……..I enjoy my own company but when I get lonely my urges to use increase. I find it important to plan time with others

Family…….MAJOR triggers!! I set firm boundaries for myself, limit the time I spend with them and make sure I stay connected at the same time…………..this is really tricky

Finances………..when money is tight thoughts of using get stronger and stronger. I’ve learned to budget and have savings these days

Stress………..I start to feel like I need an escape and I “deserve” it. Daily exercise, getting outdoors, meditation and eating healthy help with this…………so do cheat days here I eat crap, sit on the couch and just decompress


So they’re some of mine…………how about yours????

[Xena9492]

I haven’t put a lot of thought into my triggers.

The big one is too much time on my hands I guess. I love my job and working with kids , and when I have a couple of days off it’s tempting to just stay in bed and not feel there’s a reason to get up and dressed , and that can lead me towards being tempted. So I try to keep busy and make sure my time
Off is a bit staggered and not all in one big lump. Covid made this harder there were times I was unwell or my clients were and like many others that was a struggle.

If I’m having conflict with someone is the other big one I think. It sends me thinking all sorts of silly things and agonising over every thing I said or did. More often than not the other person doesn’t give it a second though but it plays over in my head and negativity creeps in. So I try to be a But more relaxed and tell myself it’s one conflict and not the end of a whole relationship or being fired or whatever , but that’s hard to pull myself back sometimes. I guess I’m working on that one still.

[Xena9492]

I haven’t put a lot of thought into my triggers.

The big one is too much time on my hands I guess. I love my job and working with kids , and when I have a couple of days off it’s tempting to just stay in bed and not feel there’s a reason to get up and dressed , and that can lead me towards being tempted. So I try to keep busy and make sure my time
Off is a bit staggered and not all in one big lump. Covid made this harder there were times I was unwell or my clients were and like many others that was a struggle.

If I’m having conflict with someone is the other big one I think. It sends me thinking all sorts of silly things and agonising over every thing I said or did. More often than not the other person doesn’t give it a second though but it plays over in my head and negativity creeps in. So I try to be a But more relaxed and tell myself it’s one conflict and not the end of a whole relationship or being fired or whatever , but that’s hard to pull myself back sometimes. I guess I’m working on that one still.

[ScorpionPW]

Hi @Xena9492,

Man oh man can I relate a lot to what you're saying.

It was a long time that whenever I didn't have structure in place my default would just be to remain stagnant. It wasn't until I actually started to put energy into things I was passionate about and start to feel the positive effects of making an effort to look after myself better that I had any desire to do so. But to experience that feeling, I had to do it in the first place which was easier said than done some days. I found that whenever I was alone with my thinking I would eventually have the desire to pick up again. Thats why in the early days it was so important for me to fill my days with whatever would help me move towards not picking up for the day. As long as my head hit the pillow at night and I hadn't picked up, I tried to see it as a successful day no matter what else happened. The more I practiced this, the easier it became and I eventually built a genuine desire to spend my time doing things that were good for me because I started to learn how to love and care about myself.

Somebody told me once that holding onto resentment is like swallowing poison and expecting somebody else to get poisoned. Sometimes it's challenging to get freedom from our thinking, especially when we're stuck ruminating and don't know how to let go of the situation. Something that's always helped me with this is owning my part in things instead of justifying the way I behaved in the situation because of what the other person said or did. For me, this is a great way to keep my side of the street clean and somehow that makes it easier to let go of the rest.

It would be great to hear how you're travelling at the moment and thanks again for sharing

[PnorkelPW]

I'm working through conflict with someone at the moment and I've found that I've turned to food. Conflict is a huge trigger @Xena9492 and I'm confusing hunger for emotions. There's something unsettling in my body due to the conflict and I'm trying to calm it with sugary food.............and that's not good for me..........but it's better than turning to substances. I'm glad I've become aware of it, I just need to reach fir the fruit instead of the chocolate biscuits.

Love that line about poison and resentment @ScorpionPW ...............so true and if I keep eating the poison I'm gonna end up very unhappy with potential to lead to bigger issues.