When you enroll in an addiction treatment center in Texas, one of the things that you learn about is common relapse triggers. These are people, places, or situations that trigger your desire to drink or take drugs. Triggers often happen when you least expect them. Furthermore, they can cause you to fall headlong back into addiction.
For this reason, you need to identify your triggers and develop a strategy for countering them. At The Right Step Houston, your therapist can work with you to come up with a plan of action every time a trigger hits you. Below are some common relapse triggers that you may experience and how to avoid or manage them. For more information, call us at 1.844.768.0169.
Celebration and Social Events
These days, attending an event that does not include alcohol is difficult. Major events such as holidays, parties, or weekend gatherings can be difficult when you are trying to quit drinking. The trigger often comes in the form of euphoria. You may feel energetic or excited and decide one drink won’t hurt. After all, everyone around is drinking and having a good time.
What should you do?
- Don’t assume that you can handle an environment where alcohol is present
- Find out if alcohol will be present at the event
- You may have to decline the invitation to attend
- Have an escape plan in case you are caught off-guard
Common Relapse Triggers: Problems with Relationships
Few things create as many emotional highs and lows as relationships. Spouses, children, friends, coworkers, and neighbors are all potential triggers that can cause you to want to drink or take drugs. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the triggers associated with the conflict if you are struggling with another person. Triggers may be different for each person that you encounter.
What should you do?
- In some cases, there are certain people you may want to avoid, particularly in the early stages of recovery. However, some people are unavoidable. Therefore, you need to do everything you can to minimize the conflict and resolve problems peacefully. You may also want to talk to your therapist, mentor, or sponsor when conflict arises.
Stress
Everybody has stress. However, the smallest amount of stress can be one of the most common relapse triggers for someone in recovery. Stress can come from work, finances, health problems, relationships, or a mental disorder. When you feel stressed, you may feel out of control. As a result, you may turn to drugs or alcohol once again to self-medicate. This can cause you to spiral even further out of control.
What should you do?
- Identify what is causing the stress and then handle the problem
- Use the meditation or mindfulness techniques you learned in therapy
- Contact your therapist or sponsor if you feel as though the stress is getting out of control
- Stay healthy and maintain a schedule throughout the week
Rituals and Habits
One of the most common relapse triggers is rituals and habits developed around substance use. For example, many smokers will have a cigarette after eating a meal. Long after the physical dependency on nicotine has left their system, the act of completing a meal can create a powerful craving for a cigarette. The same is true of other addictive substances. If you always stopped at a particular bar on the way home from work, you may need to change your route home once you are in recovery. Simply driving past that bar on the way home may be a trigger. Additionally, if you and a coworker used to do cocaine in the downstairs men’s bathroom every morning before work, you will have to alter your behavior at work. You will need to avoid the coworker, who is a likely trigger, and you may also need to avoid that specific bathroom as it is also a trigger.
What should you do?
- Identify what rituals or habits are associated with alcohol or drug use
- Avoid people, places, or situations associated with those rituals or habits
- Discuss with your therapist how to develop new, healthy rituals and habits
Learn More About Common Relapse Triggers at Right Step Houston
Don’t let your triggers pull you back into addiction. Learn more about common relapse triggers at Right Step Houston. We offer comprehensive treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. To find out more about your treatment options, call us at 1.844.768.0169. We are here to get you on the road to recovery.