The importance of understanding what a relapse trigger is cannot be underestimated.
A relapse trigger is that experience which can stimulate the phenomenon of craving and obsession we the return of drug or alcohol abuse.
A great deal has been written about drug and alcohol relapse triggers. I would like to present a few broad concepts concerning dangerous signs and triggers that may lead to relapse. There are many different types of relapse warning sign in relapse trigger checklists available. But in this article, rather than trying to generate a huge checklist that could cover every conceivable possible trigger for relapse, let’s just break it down into four categories and allow you to personalize it for your self and your lifestyle.
1. Any feeling, place, person, or situation where one is used alcohol or drugs in the past.
2. Any person place feeling or situation that reminds one of the emotional trauma.
3. Any time or situation where one is actually exposed to drugs and alcohol.
4. Any situation or place that generates high levels of stress or anxiety.
Upon examining those statements, it becomes readily apparent that there is no universal set of relapse warning signs for relapse triggers. Each persons unique history and unique experience will dictate what may be potentially dangerous to them. Certain people may have no problem gaining from alcohol in a restaurant at a table with drinkers, while another person may simply think of a beer advertisement in become triggered. There are really two broad categories of relapse triggers.
1. Those that can be avoided, and,
2. Those that cannot be avoided.
For the people, places, things and emotions that can be avoided, be prudent and overly cautious and avoid them. For the situations people, places and emotions which may be relapse triggers that you cannot avoid, the solution is to set boundaries, rules and limitations. Think this situation through and have a safety valve or escape plan in place for the craving is stimulated.
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This condensed list of alcohol triggers is a good one. I suffered from social anxiety which was never diagnosed in my treatment centers. They kept sending me to AA which sabotaged my recovery every time. The treatment (AA meetings) prescribed for my alcoholism was actually causing my repeated relapses. Until I was successfully treated for my anxiety and dysthymia, I could not stay sober. AA works beautifully for me today. Thanks Bill!
For me, and this may be an odd trigger, but anytime card games are involved I always think of beer going along with it. My friends and I started playing spades and poker in college, and beer and other alcohol just went hand in hand with it. Although I really enjoy playing cards, I feel at this point I almost always have to avoid it because it is just not the same without alcohol.
I think that any relapse can be avoided. They are just manifestations of the old times when the person did things automatically.