the craving cycle
obsession
this is the set up that involves poor diet lack of exercise and poor stress management
physical set ups
this is the trigger event that involves addictive thinking and imagining you are there. don't repress these, share them.
thinking triggers
this is when we avoid drinking and using situations completely
avoidance
this is part of the craving cycle that includes your emotional state, results in strong irrational urge to use and thinking with emotion
compulsion
this is a psychological set up that involves exaggerated pleasurable memories of use and blocking out or repressing bad memories.
euphoric recall
these are the types of triggers that stem from sensory cues and also involve emotions such as anxiety and anger
feeling triggers
this is when we crate a sobriety plan with a counselor / group before entering a situation linked with using or drinking
gradual re introduction
this is the part of the craving cycle that is caused by brain chemistry imbalances, never totally goes away and returns when recovery is neglected.
physical craving
this is part of the set up behaviors that involves exaggerating pain and discomfort in sobriety and blocking out comfort and pleasure and satisfaction of sobriety
awfulizing sobriety
these are the types of triggers that involve drug seeking behaviors such as going to bars talking to dealers and are the most avoidable triggers
acting/ behavioral triggers
this is when a trigger connection becomes broken in time
extinction
this is the part of the craving cycle is ritualized and habitual and creates a mental state that justifies drug use as well as what actions we take to get drugs.
drug seeking behavior
this is part of the set up behaviors that involve the belief that alcohol or drugs are still a positive option and that the drug will work for me again.
positive expectancy
these are the types of triggers that involve being around drug using friends even when they are not using, being in stressful relationships and being where you can touch feel or smell drugs or alcohol
relational or interaction triggers
this is the inability to feel pleasure from activities in early recovery which decreased over time
anhedonia
this is the part of the craving cycle where we should start to use healthy coping skills.
at the very beginning / the obsession phase /as soon as possible
this is a set up behavior that involves lack of communication and isolation
social set ups
these are the things that that help us with triggers when they occur
healthy coping skills
this is how long the anhedonia and post acute withdrawal phase can last
a year to a year and a half