Leaving a drug addiction treatment center is one (albeit very large) step on the road to recovery. Treatment centers like Prominence Treatment Center will teach you how to cope with the underlying issues that are causing your addiction. But that doesn’t mean you won’t be susceptible to temptation. We have discussed relapse prevention tips before, but today we’d like to discuss the four most common relapse triggers that might cause a recovering addict to relapse.
People
There are many different people in our lives on a day-to-day basis. We have different relationships with each of these individuals. Some of them might be a simple person you see at the coffee shop every day, but others might have a greater impact on your life.
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People remind us of different situations and stages in our lives. If there is a person or persons in your life that always wanted to have a good time or always had a party at his or her house who could be a trigger, this doesn’t mean they should be able to push you to do drugs again. But their mere presence might cause you to get excited and think about drugs more often. Avoid these people at all costs.
Smell
An individual’s sense of smell has a long memory. It connects people, places, and things that you might not consciously think of. The smell of lilies might bring back memories of your mother’s kitchen, or peanut butter conjures up the thought of your third grade cafeteria. Addicts experience this same sensation, connected to their addiction.
Some recovering addictions are triggered by cigarette smoke, others barley, some even the smell of old furniture. Whatever the smell is, be aware of it and steer clear of areas or situations that might have that smell. Your sense of smell is very powerful.
Places
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Just like people and smells, places can trigger your desire to do drugs. It could be the corner that you bought drugs at, or the park that you went to on your lunch break to get high. Identify places that make you think of using drugs and avoid them as best you can.
Television
Television and its advertising is filled with messages of drugs and alcohol. Everywhere you look could be a potential trigger. Beer commercials could trigger your desire because you drank beer while snorting cocaine. A show like Breaking Bad, based on the drug trade, is another possible source of temptation. But television is entertainment, so how do you avoid television while still getting access to entertainment?
One solution is web based content. Services like Netflix don’t have commercials and you won’t stumble upon a show that depicts drugs. You have the control of what you watch. Other online content like video blogs or podcasts can be helpful as well. While these aren’t the same as traditional media, they’re a growing form of entertainment that allows one to control and customize the content being consumed.
Knowing your triggers will help immensely with your road to drug addiction recovery. Staying away from the things that cause you to do drugs will make your life easier. If you can decrease the yearning to use drugs (which these triggers will perpetuate), then you can focus on sobriety.
If you are having troubles with your triggers or have never sought help for addiction, Prominence Treatment Center is here for you. Call one of our representatives to discuss what your treatment options are. 877-383-2284