Identifying Addiction Relapse Triggers

Relapse is a high risk for all people with addiction. No matter how prepared you are for what’s to come after you leave treatment, it can be very difficult for you to find a way forward. Our goal through addiction treatment is to help you recognize the relapse triggers that can impact you. That way, you can learn to avoid them or develop strategies for overcoming them. At Serenity Light Recovery, we can work closely with you through this process.

What Are Relapse Triggers?

Relapse triggers are things that make it more likely for you to start using again. These things can be emotional or physical situations that put you at risk. They may be environmental, too. Any type of situation, person, or thing that makes you think about or want to use is a potential relapse trigger. Identifying these is important. Knowing your triggers can help you to spot instances when you need to get help and plays a big role in relapse prevention.

What Are Some Common Relapse Triggers?

To maintain sober living, it’s important to know what your specific relapse triggers are. These differ from one person to the next, based on your experiences. Some of the most common include the following:

HALT

Hungry, angry, lonely, and tired, or HALT, is one of the most common triggers. In these situations, it is critical to find the help you need to avoid relapse. If you become too angry, lonely, or tired, you may find yourself thinking about using. The better option is to have a meal plan, stick to a proper sleep schedule, and to get ongoing support.

Stress

Everyone deals with stress during their lives, including during sober living. You can’t eliminate all of it. Yet, stress can often make a person more likely to use. Learning how to manage stress is important. This may include reaching out for help or simply removing some of the stressors from your life.

Over-Confidence

When you leave addiction treatment, you’ll feel empowered to take on everything. Doing too much puts you at risk for relapse, though. That’s because you can become over-confident. You may stop going to meetings or limiting yourself from risky situations. This can make it more likely that you’ll reach out for drugs when the stress becomes too much.

Other types of relapse triggers may include:

• Mental illness
• Physical illness
• Social isolation
• Sex and relationships – good and bad
• Reminiscing about past drug use
• People you’ve used with or locations where you used
• Social situations where drugs or alcohol are present

Work to avoid these situations and come up with a plan for relapse prevention.

What Do You Do in These Situations?

When you get drug and alcohol treatment, you’ll learn more about relapse prevention. It is one of the core programs we offer at Serenity Light Recovery. Our team will talk to you about strategies to help you avoid using so you can continue living a sober life. Keep in mind that it is up to you to consistently work on your sobriety through treatment and support. We can help you with this through addiction treatment programs and ongoing care.

• Outpatient drug therapy
• Individual drug therapy
• Group therapy programs
• 12 step programs
• Dual diagnosis treatment

These programs can continue after your detox and residential treatment. They can help ensure you continue to live a sober lifestyle by managing the things that can derail you.

Prevent Relapse by Reaching Out to Our Team at Serenity Light Recovery

If you are experiencing relapse triggers, recognizing this is a very good thing. Then, take the steps you need to get the help necessary. Our team at Serenity Light Recovery can help you. We offer relapse prevention support as well as comprehensive treatment programs designed to keep you living a healthy, sober life. Call our team at (281) 431-6700 to learn more.