How do you guys handle your triggers?
These last few weeks have been hard for me. I’ve been sober since March 13 2023 . This isn’t my first time to kick this to the curb.
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For me I have try to think in a space of neutrality about drinking & dope and the things that are reminders. Is there anything I can do to stop the world from happening? Shit no, and my past is unchangeable too. So, I accept that things are just gonna be in my face some days and remind myself that I do now have control of my own actions & attitude about the shit that triggers me.
Early on I did short 2-3 min walks when I felt in my head. Meditation is stll a thing for me but it’s standing in the trees & closing my eyes and just listening.
Triggers are real & part of our disease, but emotions don’t have to rule my actions.
All I know BreAnna and great work on your days!
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For me it’s been helpful playing the tape all the way through. Some of my biggest triggers/cravings come during my drive home from a stressful day at work. That addict mind starts to think about how nice it would be to have a drink to relax. Then I say to myself, but I don’t want one drink…I want to drink all night…and that will leave me feeling sick and tired and guilty. And once I start thinking about how my drinking really affected me it doesn’t seem so appealing anymore.
Also, turning on a sober podcast helps me get back in the right mindset. I’ve been listening to one called Sober Awkward and it’s funny and laid back. It’s really helped me on those trips home from work.
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I have to stay busy. Spent alot at gnc today so going to the gym and focusing on a healthy lifestyle helps.
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I remember that alcohol and drugs will only turn me into a loser and nothing good comes from using them. What path do you want for yourself?
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I usually write about what caused me to lose everything an everyone important to me. Especially my kids… I’ve come across something I use to get high with an I honestly felt like a vampire… I wanted to cry or something… so I went for a long walk an enjoyed the outdoors. Went to the movies, an came home an went to bed… But it’s been bothering me a lot lately. I’ve come so far after five years of being on that path. Three years ago I went to rehab an then I relapsed after 88 days, … I lost both of my Mother’s within 11 days apart… that’s no excuse three years ago. I’ve been fighting this addiction for nearly 7 years off an on… I moved from my hometown on March 13 to get my sobriety back… I never really talked to any other people in recovery lately…
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Hey, triggers can be brought on by emotions or past events, maybe try think and dig a little bit deeper into your emotions and ask yourself is there something you’re unhappy with that you could maybe change, could be as simple as forgiving yourself or somewhere else and finding happiness to move onto a better life 
keeping busy may just be covering up the emotions and putting them to the back of your mind and can lead to relapse after relapse, I’ve been there myself and hopefully you can find the right path 
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Helping others by talking about my experiences to those who have our disease is a lot of how I stay focused & sober. Sharing at meetings and working with others is therapeutic for this drunk.
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I focus on things which bring me joy or happiness. Sometimes it helps to me as well deeply breathe and try to calm down. Or as well music helps with it.
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For me alcohol wasn’t triggering. At least I cannot remember when it was. What was really triggering me and what I struggled a lot with is the people trying to lose weight, counting calories and things like this. I started muting all related threads and when last year one of my new colleagues started a strict diet it was really hard or me to set boundaries. I avoided her somehow. I realized during the last days that I am less triggered. The more I am okay with myself which won’t happen over night the more I can reflect on my thinking. My thoughts will come, my feelings will come. The only thing I can do is to work it out. Ask myself: is this true? Are they happier when they are skinny or whatever? Answer from my own experience: no. I wasn’t happier. My misery was the same but in skin and bones version. Thoughts will come like clouds. I can let them pass instead of entertaining them all day.
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