Like substance use disorder, triggers are most effectively responded to on an individualized basis. For many triggers, it can be helpful to discuss the emotional response it generates and how that leads to substance misuse. This deepened understanding can help someone realize when they’re being triggered and take necessary steps to stop it. Sobriety can be a very new, often times uncertain and even a scary state of mind. The alcoholic/addict has been used to living and functioning a certain way.
Mental relapse, or relapse justification, is the continuous fight between wanting to use and knowing you should not use. Individuals often underestimate the dangers of situations and fall into the trap of single-time use. They give themselves permission to use substances in a controlled way, but the frequency of use generally increases until they fully relapse. The research maintained that subconscious cues are dangerous because they reinforce the patient’s desire to restart using drugs without them being aware of it.
Other triggers are more overt, like seeing a specific landmark or recalling a traumatic event. What all triggers share, though, is their ability to affect a person—sometimes quickly, sometimes gradually—which, for many, leads them to use or misuse of substances as a response. For the budding alcoholic/addict in recovery, relapse is all too often a nano second away. Even for the well seasoned soul who has practiced a clean and sober lifestyle for many years, relapse may be in a deep dormant sleep, but can be aroused with a touch of a feather. Some researchers have explored the similarities between addiction and other chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. (McLellan, Lewis, O’Brien, & Kleber, 2000).
Physical illness and chronic pain also stress the body and can increase the risk of relapse. Recovery is a journey with no end, yet some people begin to feel that they are cured and don’t have to worry about triggers anymore. It’s important to develop a healthy level of self-confidence, but humility is necessary too. If someone forgets that addiction is a chronic condition, they may be tempted to have “just one” drink, injection, hit or bump with the expectation that it won’t be a big deal. Negative emotions like sadness, guilt or anger are often core reasons why people begin abusing substances in the first place. When these emotions crop up again during recovery, the brain remembers dealing with them using drugs or alcohol and prompts cravings.
As a result, those recovering from addiction can be harsh inner critics of themselves and believe they do not deserve to be healthy or happy. Therapy not only gives people insight into their vulnerabilities but teaches them healthy tools for handling emotional distress. Relapse is emotionally painful for those in recovery and their families. Nevertheless, the first and most important thing to know is that all hope is not lost. Relapse triggers a sense of failure, shame, and a slew of other negative feelings. It’s fine to acknowledge them, but not to dwell on them, because they could hinder the most important action to take immediately—seeking help.
In fact, learning how to face your emotions without escaping into addiction is invaluable. 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. When you’re reminded of your addiction, it’s important to have effective ways of handling your feelings.
Our commitment as a specialized men’s detox center extends to fostering an environment of support and understanding. We create a safe space where men can openly share their experiences and learn from peers who are on similar paths. This sense of camaraderie fosters connections and encourages mutual encouragement, enhancing the overall recovery experience. The most important rule of recovery is that a person does not achieve recovery by just not using. Recovery involves creating a new life in which it is easier to not use. When individuals do not change their lives, then all the factors that contributed to their addiction will eventually catch up with them.
During an MS relapse, you may experience new neurological symptoms or existing symptoms that increase in severity or flare up. The term “relapse” is most often used in this condition because of its varying periods of remission and exacerbations. For patients, they are given a types of relapse triggers framework which they can use to cultivate the skills necessary for a positive recovery. Crowley’s advice is based on multimodal therapy (MMT), an evidence-based therapy which explores biological, psychological, and social aspects of why someone develops an eating disorder.
The power to resist cravings rests on the ability to summon and interpose judgment between a craving and its intense motivational command to seek the substance. Stress and sleeplessness weaken the prefrontal cortex, the executive control center of the brain. Craving is an overwhelming desire to seek a substance, and cravings focus all one’s attention on that goal, shoving aside all reasoning ability.
