Understanding Triggers and How to Deal With Them in Recovery

Understanding what they are, how to recognize the signs and how to stop them from leading you down a relapse path is essential to your long-term recovery. The use of internal triggers raises ethical considerations, such as privacy and autonomy. It is important for designers to consider these issues and design in a way that is respectful of users’ rights.

All research on the internal and external triggers website, including images, texts and graphics, is strictly for informational purposes. Please do not ignore information from your doctor because of something you saw on the Coastal Detox website. If you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. Helped me so much I am a 64 year old woman and this place got me sober with dignity and kindness.

«Going Viral» That’s My Reality. Here’s How I Reversed Engineered Social Media

Some use trigger warnings to give students time to physically or mentally prepare for potentially distressing subject matter, such as physical or sexual violence. Trigger warnings are used in other settings, too, such as in the media. Knowing our behavioural triggers, can help us to understand what is no longer serving us so we can change our trigger to something more positive. When triggered, we often execute a mindless action to ease the negative sensation. Internal triggers come from the person’s inner life and thoughts. Both of these behavior triggers can both be used to build habits.

• But the way the body and mind are connected, many relaxation methods can work on both the mind and the body simultaneously.
• This includes substance use disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety.
• These triggers may involve people who influence cravings, such as drug dealers, coworkers, friends, spouses, partners and employers.
• When triggered, the brain might interpret past traumatic events as current.
• Talking to, or spending time with, former drug dealers is a sure way of triggering your brain to start thinking about your substance use.

Trial and error can help each person determine what works best for them. Remember that different coping strategies may work for different triggers and emotions. Avoid taking another’s behavior personally nor making negative judgments about someone’s feelings and behavior. When triggered, the brain might interpret past traumatic events as current. This causes the body to experience symptoms as it did in response to the original trauma (such as the fight-or-flight response). Mental health professionals don’t yet know precisely how triggers form. Some researchers believe that the brain stores memories from a traumatic event differently from memories of a non-traumatic event.

Step 3: Explore Your Sensations

This ongoing fight increases their vulnerability to cravings, which may result in a potential relapse. It’s important for people in recovery to be aware of the internal triggers they struggle with the most and have a plan in place to seek support when needed.