5 Relapse Triggers and How to Prepare for Them

It is common for people who struggle with addiction to relapse at least once during recovery. Some people fall off the wagon several times before getting sober for the last time. In fact, despite the existence of FDA-approved treatments for nicotine, alcohol, and opioid addiction, more than two-thirds of individuals will relapse after initiating treatment.

Understanding what might trigger you to relapse as well as having a plan in place for these triggers are the first steps toward prevention. Here are five common relapse triggers you may want to discuss with your therapist or counselor. Creating a plan for how to act when you encounter these triggers can be very helpful.

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1

Stress

Stress is the most common cause of a relapse. Many people who struggle with addiction turn to their substance or activity of choice as a maladaptive way of coping. In fact, research indicates there is an increased "wanting" for the drug, alcohol, or addictive activity during stressful situations—especially if the substance or activity was previously the person's primary coping mechanism.

One way to prevent stress from triggering you is to evaluate your stress levels. Although you can't eliminate everything and everyone from your life, you can avoid situations that cause you extreme stress. As a result, it may help to list all the people, places, and things that cause you excessive stress.

For instance, are you in a toxic relationship? Or do you have a financial situation that is stressing you out?

By making changes in your lifestyle, relationships, and priorities, you may be able to reduce the number of stressful situations in your life. By doing this, you will be reducing the likelihood of stress triggering a relapse.

It's also important to learn ways to successfully cope with stress that are not drugs, alcohol, or another addictive behavior. You may be able to reduce or manage your stress by:

  • Practicing mindfulness and engaging in relaxation training
  • Managing your time more effectively to avoid operating in panic mode
  • Increasing healthy behaviors by incorporating moderate exercise and healthy eating

Reducing the likelihood that stress will trigger a relapse not only involves finding healthier ways of dealing with stress, but also being able to recognize when you are in a stressful situation, and then doing something to alleviate the stress.

A therapist or counselor can help you learn to listen to your mind and body to identify when you're feeling stressed as well as help you develop healthy coping mechanisms.

2

People or Places Connected to the Addictive Behavior

People who participated in your addictive behavior are potential triggers for a relapse, regardless of whether or not they are still drinking, smoking, or using drugs. Likewise, certain places that remind you of your addiction may be triggering for you. Even some family members could be a trigger, especially if they make you feel more childlike and vulnerable.

When you're reminded of your addiction, it's important to have effective ways of handling your feelings. For instance, if you're an alcoholic and a group of drinking buddies ask you to go out, or you see people from work going to happy hour, it might help to have a specific response ready.

It also may help to have a healthy activity that you can do instead like going for a run, seeing a movie, having dinner with a sponsor, or reading a good book.

If you don't prepare for these situations ahead of time, you are vulnerable to relapse. Try brainstorming ideas on your own and work with your counselor or therapist to come up with a plan.

3

Negative or Challenging Emotions

People who struggle with addiction need effective ways of tolerating, managing, and making sense of the negative feelings encountered in daily life. Alcohol, drugs, or addictive behaviors may have provided temporary relief from those feelings in the past, but you can't rely on them anymore.

It is important to learn how to be comfortable with uncomfortable feelings and emotions. Realize negative feelings don't have to be a sign of an impending setback. Everyone feels negative or challenging emotions. The key is how you deal with them.

View these emotions as an opportunity for growth and understanding. You can learn a lot about yourself by taking an inventory of what you're feeling and asking yourself why. In fact, learning how to face your emotions without escaping into addiction is invaluable.

So, try journaling, meditating, or even praying when you are feeling negative. Find a healthy way to release your negativity and boost your mood. An addiction specialist or another mental health professional can help you develop additional coping strategies.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

4

Seeing or Sensing the Object of Your Addiction

Reminders of your addiction can trigger relapse during recovery. A whiff of cigarette smoke, watching people sip cocktails in a bar or restaurant, or a couple locked in an erotic embrace are reminders that seem to be everywhere in the early stages of quitting.

Wanting to fall back into your addiction is normal. After all, it's a familiar place for you. But, recovery is not just about "quitting" and "abstaining" as much as it's about building a new life in which it is easier—and more desirable—not to use.

Try to focus on the new life you're building and the changes you're making. Think about the negative consequences that you experienced while participating in your addiction—the people you hurt and the relationships you lost. You may think you miss your old life when you see these reminders, but remember the pain and hardship your addiction brought you as well.

Embrace the idea that you're creating a new, healthier version of yourself with no room for the things of the past.

Having a substitute behavior like going to a yoga class or taking a long bath also can be helpful when you're feeling triggered. Reciting positive mantras or doing relaxation exercises may help you resist these urges as well. For additional support, work with your counselor or therapist on how to effectively deal with these reminders.

5

Times of Celebration

Positive situations, such as birthdays and holidays, can be triggers too. You may feel happy, in control, and confident you can handle one drink, one smoke, or one mild flirtation with an attractive stranger. But can you really keep it under control?

People who struggle with addiction frequently lose their capacity to know when to stop. Therefore, one drink or cigarette can more easily turn into a binge for someone who has struggled with addiction.

Having someone to support in situations where you are at risk of relapse can help. Find someone you trust and respect to kindly, but firmly, persuade you to stop what you're doing if you do start to relapse.

Avoid going into situations alone where you are at high risk of relapse. You might be surprised how quickly your resolve and good intentions disappear once the party's started.

With your counselor or therapist, create a plan on how to handle the temptations that come with fun events like parties, weddings, holidays, and more. If you go into the situation unprepared, you're more likely to relapse.

Summary

Learning to recognize triggers, getting help from a counselor, and building a support network are all useful tools in preventing a relapse. Do everything you can to protect yourself, but don't beat yourself up if you do slip.

Remember, relapse is not a sign that your recovery failed. You're navigating a new and unfamiliar path. So, with continued therapy and support you should be able to build stronger defenses against common triggers.

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Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Additional Reading

By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD
Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada.