Triggers & Cravings
This is anything that causes a strong urge to use substances again.
What is a trigger?
This simple practice of breathing in deeply and out slowly can help reduce cravings.
What is deep breathing?
This group, often called "12-step," helps people stay sober through meetings and sponsorship.
What is Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA)?
Getting at least 7-9 hours of this every night helps improve mood and reduce cravings.
What is sleep?
Feeling angry, lonely, or tired can lead to relapse. This phrase is used to remind people to check in with themselves.
What is HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)?
Many people in recovery say this is their biggest motivation to stay sober.
What is family (or a personal reason)?
A common emotional trigger that can lead to relapse.
What is stress?
Writing down thoughts and feelings in this can help process emotions and reduce stress.
What is journaling?
Having at least one trusted person to talk to when struggling is known as this type of support.
What is a sober support system?
Drinking enough of this daily can help with mental clarity and overall health.
What is water?
Isolation, skipping meetings, and avoiding loved ones can be signs of this.
What is withdrawal from support systems?
Celebrating milestones, like 30, 60, or 90 days sober, helps build this.
What is motivation?
Avoiding people, places, and things linked to past substance use helps prevent this.
What is a craving?
This type of therapy, known as CBT, helps people change negative thought patterns.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
This person in recovery provides mentorship and guidance to someone newer to the process.
What is a sponsor?
Eating a balanced diet with proteins, fruits, and vegetables supports this part of the body, which helps with emotional regulation.
What is the brain?
Returning to places where substances were used in the past is called this.
What is high-risk behavior?
This term refers to making small, daily choices that support long-term sobriety.
What is progress over perfection?
This brain chemical is often linked to addiction and pleasure.
What is dopamine?
A grounding technique that uses sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 method?
Family, friends, and recovery groups help people stay on track by providing this.
What is accountability?
Setting daily or weekly goals helps build this, strengthening commitment to recovery.
What is self-discipline?
Making excuses about sobriety or thinking "just one time won’t hurt" is an example of this.
What is denial or rationalization?
People in recovery often use this phrase to remind themselves to take things one step at a time.
What is "One day at a time"?
This type of trigger happens when someone is celebrating or feeling overconfident in their recovery.
What is a positive emotional trigger?
This type of exercise, such as yoga or running, is a great way to relieve stress naturally.
What is physical activity?
Professional help from this type of mental health expert can provide strategies for relapse prevention.
What is a therapist or counselor?
Practicing this by focusing on the present moment without judgment can reduce stress and improve mental health.
What is mindfulness?
This stage of relapse happens when someone starts thinking about using again but hasn’t yet acted on it.
What is mental relapse?
Helping others in recovery through sharing experiences is an example of this.
What is giving back (or service work)?