Recovering from drug or alcohol addiction is a lifelong process that can, at times, be frustrating, exhausting, overwhelming and lonely. However, staying the course is key to living a long, healthy and happy life. To make the process easier, it is crucial that you develop mechanisms for both coping with your triggers and making the recovery process as easy and enjoyable as possible.
In the world of drug addiction recovery, the term “trigger” refers to a person, place, thing or feeling that either reminds you of previous substance abuse or that makes you want to use a substance of choice. Regardless of which reaction a trigger incites in you, triggers are dangerous because they bring about intense urges or cravings that can result in relapse.
Learning how to identify your triggers and, subsequently, to cope with or avoid them, is key to your long-term recovery. Though triggers look different for everyone, they typically fall into one of two categories: internal and external.
Internal triggers are feelings, emotions or thoughts that you associate with substance use. Because you cannot avoid your internal triggers, they are often difficult to manage. That said, it is imperative that you learn to manage and cope with them, as failure to do so is likely to result in negative behaviour that eventually results in relapse. Examples of internal triggers are as follows:
It can be difficult to recognize which feelings trigger a relapse without being mindful of your thoughts and emotions on a constant basis. To help you in the early days of your recovery, constantly ask yourself the following questions:
By asking yourself these questions whenever you have even the slightest urge to use, you can identify your triggers and work to develop tools for coping with them.
External triggers are physical reminders of past drug use. Common external triggers include the following:
Unlike internal triggers, you can avoid most external triggers with advanced planning and diligence. For those you cannot avoid, such as family weddings or job loss, you can develop healthy coping mechanisms.
When it comes to addiction recovery, it is just as important to learn what to do as well as what not to do. Before you explore proactive coping mechanisms for dealing with addiction recovery, it may help to get an idea of what not to do:
Now that you know what not to do during your recovery, it is time to explore positive coping skills that will see you through your most trying times. Below are nine healthy coping mechanisms to add to your recovery arsenal.
It is not uncommon for individuals to turn to drugs or alcohol to help them unwind after a stressful day or situation. There are dozens of healthier ways to relieve stress that do not involve drug or alcohol use, such as journaling, meditation, exercising, dancing, reading and more. Find what makes you feel happy and at ease, and replace that after-work drink with a stress-relieving activity.
Loneliness is a common trigger for people with addictions. A robust and diverse support system is integral to your success during recovery, as you will need someone to turn to every time you feel the urge to use.
In addition to a support network of friends and family, you may also find that you need support from individuals who have been in your same or a similar situation. This is where support groups come in handy, and you should not overlook them as an effective tool during the recovery process.
Once you stop using drugs or alcohol, you may find that you have an abundance of time on your hands. After all, much of your pre-recovery life revolved around using or finding your substance of choice. Though, eventually, you will find it nice to have that time back, in the early stages of recovery, that excess time may lead to boredom, which is a common trigger for many addicts. To avoid boredom, stay as busy as possible by developing new skills, learning new information, finding new passions and hobbies, and starting a new project.
Drug and alcohol use can severely malnourish the body. Once you make the decision to recover, it is imperative that you build a diet that is rich in the vitamins and nutrients of which you previously denied your body. As your health returns to normal or close-to-normal levels, consult with your doctor regarding which vitamins and nutrients your body needs going forward.
In addition to changing your diet for the better, add exercise to your daily routine. Exercise can have a host of benefits, one of which is that it can help you obtain a natural high. This is because exercise releases endorphins, which is the body’s feel-good hormone and the effects of which last long after you stop sweating.
Staying present in the moment can help you avoid fixating on what you are missing, which is likely your drug of choice. One of the most effective ways to stay present is to practice mindfulness, which entails observing your thoughts and feelings in the moment and accepting them without judgement or negativity.
In addition to practicing mindfulness, you may also want to take up meditation. Meditation is a great way to destress, work through difficult thoughts, emotions or feelings, and improve your mental clarity.
Science proves that, together, meditation and mindfulness have a host of benefits, including but not limited to the following:
As you move through the recovery process, you may discover that mindfulness and meditation are the most effective coping mechanisms you have. Practice them daily, if not more, to make your recovery an as positive process as possible.
One of the most common traits of persons who live with substance abuse disorders is the propensity to lie. When you were in the thick of your addiction, lying may have become a default habit. Before committing to recovery, you may have lied about how often you used or when you were using. You may have lied to yourself, telling yourself that you could stop when you wanted — that you did not have a problem. You may have lied to loved ones about why you needed money, why you lost your job or why you could not maintain a healthy relationship with your friends, spouse or children. To keep using, lying became necessary.
As you move through the recovery process, however, you must unlearn this habit and, instead, focus on always being honest, with both yourself and others. Though telling the truth may prove challenging — especially when that truth is something that you do not want to admit and others do not want to hear — it can substantially help your recovery. Not only can honesty force you to hold yourself accountable but also, it will prevent you from bottling up emotions and feelings that could, eventually, trigger cravings or the urge to use.
Addictive persons often have impulsive personalities, which are only exacerbated by drug or alcohol use. Prior to your recovery, you may have lashed out at friends or loved ones with little provocation. You may have stolen money to fund your habit, reacted aggressively to people who tried to help you and lied simply because your gut told you to. Though these types of rushed decisions may be second-nature to you, they likely resulted in negative or even harmful consequences.
As you move through the recovery process, practice patience. Wait before you respond to a statement, action or situation until you have formed a rational and informed response. If you struggle to think a reaction through, close your eyes, clear your mind and take a few moments to yourself. In being mindful of how you respond, you can improve several aspects of your life, including your relationships, mental health, professional standing and financial well-being.
H.A.L.T., if you do not already know, stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. It is an acronym that the recovery community often uses to help recovering addicts curb self-destructive behaviours that often occur as the result of an addiction. The acronym tells individuals who may experience cravings to assess their situations and determine whether hunger, anger, loneliness or fatigue is fuelling those urges. By recognizing signs of basic needs, a recovering person can meet those needs rather than risk relapsing.
A final key to recovery is replacing the time you spent using with other activities or experiences you love, enjoy or simply have always wanted to try. By throwing yourself into other activities, you can reduce your down time and find ways to achieve natural, healthy highs throughout life.
Recovering from addiction is not going to be an easy process. However, the effort to get and stay sober is well worth it, as lifelong sobriety comes with a host of perks that you can never achieve with drugs, alcohol or other mind-altering substances.