So what’s the key to long term sobriety?
There’s no single trick or motivational speech. The real secret to managing triggers is in the science. Recovery is hard. In fact, most people struggle in their sobriety journey at some point.
Around 60% of people will experience relapse in early sobriety. But here’s the thing — relapse doesn’t begin when someone drinks or uses again.
Relapse actually starts long before.
Here’s how to manage your triggers and reduce the risk of relapse in your sobriety journey.
In This Guide:
- What Are Triggers In Recovery?
- Why Managing Triggers Matters
- 5x Proven Strategies To Control Your Triggers
- Build Your Personal Trigger Plan
What Are Triggers In Recovery?
Triggers are anything that make you want to use again. They can be physical places or people. Emotional states. Certain routines or even times of day.
Some triggers are obvious. Walking past your old bar. Hanging out with people who use drugs. Going to a party.
Other triggers are hidden and sneaky. Stress. Loneliness. Fatigue. Even positive emotions like celebration or excitement.
The Science of Recovery
Research shows that stress cues previously associated with drug use — specific people, places, things, or moods — are the most commonly relapse-inducing triggers. Identifying and understanding your personal triggers is a foundational skill for long-term recovery success.
Addiction recovery centers like Novara Recovery Center provide professional support that is the gold standard for triggering identification and management. Experienced addiction specialists work with individuals in recovery to pinpoint early-warning signs and teach proven, evidence-based coping strategies. A quality addiction treatment health care setting offers the structure and resources needed to set your sobriety journey up for long-term success.
Why Managing Triggers Matters For Your Health
Recovery doesn’t get easier just because you want it to.
The difference between those who make it and those who relapse often comes down to one skill — managing triggers. The research backs it up…
68% of people diagnosed with alcohol use disorder experience at least one relapse within the first six months of sobriety. 68%! That’s a massive number. But it’s also the number you want to beat.
Controlling your triggers isn’t just about relapse avoidance. It’s about:
- Building confidence in recovery
- Reducing anxiety and stress
- Enjoying a life you want to live
- Proving to yourself you can cope
The good news? With nearly 29.3 million adults now in long-term recovery from substance use problems, we know it’s possible. Addiction recovery science tells us that long-term sobriety is absolutely achievable.
Strategy #1: Identify Your Personal Triggers
The first step in managing your triggers? Figuring out what your real triggers are.
Lots of people in early recovery have no clue what their actual triggers are. They think they do… But it’s rarely the case.
Start a trigger journal. Every time you get a craving or think about using, make a note of it. What was happening just before you felt that urge?
Look for patterns in:
- Specific places or situations
- Certain people or relationship stress
- Emotional triggers like anger or boredom
- Physical sensations of hunger, tiredness
Patterns will become clear after a few weeks of journaling. These are your key targets for managing triggers.
Strategy #2: Build Your Avoidance Plan
Some triggers you can avoid completely… And should.
You might be thinking… “But I can’t avoid everything forever!” You’re right. You can’t. In time, you’ll have to face some triggers head on. But early recovery is not the time for that.
Throw away substances in your home. Delete numbers of people who use. Change your commute route if you pass triggering locations. These aren’t signs of weakness or avoidance — these are smart, strategic recovery choices.
If you were allergic to peanuts, would you keep a jar of peanut butter in your kitchen? Of course not. Recovery from addiction works the same way.
Strategy #3: Develop Healthy Coping Skills
This is where the hard work comes in.
You can’t avoid triggers forever. Stress, sadness, celebration — all normal parts of life and all common triggers for cravings. This is why you need coping skills to fall back on whenever your triggers start getting fired up.
The best coping skills are simple and accessible. Master these and you have a toolkit for dealing with most triggers:
Deep breathing. Slowing your breath and calming your nervous system can work wonders in the face of a craving. Take five long, slow breaths when a craving hits before taking any other action. That pause can make all the difference.
Physical activity. Movement is medicine. Get your body moving and your brain will release endorphins and other feel-good chemicals to boost your mood. A brisk walk, pushups, jumping jacks, dancing — anything to get moving.
Call your support network. If you’re triggered, call someone right away. Don’t wait until it gets bad. Pick up the phone and reach out. This is what your recovery friends are there for.
It’s best to practice these skills while you’re in a good place so you have them at the ready when times get tough.
Strategy #4: Use The HALT Method
One of the simplest ways to nip triggers in the bud before they lead to cravings?
Learn the HALT method. HALT stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. All four states make you and I more vulnerable to triggers and cravings. It’s just science…
When we’re hungry, angry, lonely, or tired our blood sugar dips, our stress hormones spike, and our brains become significantly more likely to seek quick relief or escape. And for someone in recovery that escape takes the form of old drug or alcohol-using patterns.
So how do you HALT your triggers?
Stop. Check in with yourself.
Are you hungry? Eat something. Are you angry? Deal with that emotion in a healthy way. Lonely? Call someone. Tired? Rest or take a nap.
Mitigating these states means you take away a ton of potential triggers.
Strategy #5: Practice Mindfulness And Self-Care
Mindfulness and self-care aren’t buzzwords. They’re proven recovery strategies.
Mindfulness is simple awareness of your thoughts and feelings without judging them. Cravings and triggers are just another thing to be mindful of. Notice them. Observe them like clouds passing through your mind.
Don’t panic or self-sabotage at the first sign of craving. Trust in your ability to ride it out. Most cravings pass in about 15 minutes if you don’t give them your full attention.
Mindfulness is powerful but it takes practice. Self-care practices complement mindfulness beautifully. Proper sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Spend time doing activities you enjoy. These all help to buffer you against the impact of triggers.
Building Your Emergency Response Plan
OK, let’s say you’ve done all the work. You know your triggers. You have a detailed avoidance plan. But triggers still happen.
It’s a fact of early recovery life. There will be moments when you feel that familiar pull of a craving despite all your best efforts. This is why it’s important to have an emergency response plan ready to deploy when big triggers hit.
Write up a plan that includes emergency contacts, specific actions you’ll take, and reasons for your sobriety. Have this plan on your phone and share with your support contacts.
In a trigger crisis, the logical part of your brain goes offline. That’s why you need predetermined, clear actions to take the edge off.
Putting It All Together
Trigger management is a dynamic process. It’s not a one-off task you get done and never have to revisit.
The five strategies we’ve covered here: identifying triggers, building avoidance plans, healthy coping skills, HALT, and mindfulness/self-care. These are the full package for protecting your sobriety. But here’s the catch…
They only work if you actually do them.
Reading isn’t going to help you. The first step is to pick one of the strategies above and commit to applying it in your life this week. Master that one. Then add another. Building your skillset takes time. And that’s OK.
Remember, recovery is a journey. Managing your triggers is one of the most important skills you’ll learn along the way. With professional support, effective strategies, and the right tools, long-term sobriety is more than possible. Science proves it. Nearly 30 million Americans living in recovery are proof it.
You can be one of them.
