Alcohol Triggers – Common Relapse Causes (and how to avoid them)

Very few people are successful at quitting alcohol first time around. From the people that I know who are now happily sober only one of them was able to give it up for good at the first time of asking. What ‘normal’ people don’t realize is that quitting drinking is a lot harder than just not having a drink.

Just think how many times in your own life you have said “No more. I’m quitting as of right now”. Only to find yourself with a drink in hand just days later.

This is because, while the drive to quit was there, something triggered that urge to drink. A trigger – in sobriety terms – is something that puts the urge to drink in our heads. An example would be where you are taking a walk in the park, haven’t thought about booze for days, when you see an old drinking buddy. Immediately a trigger goes in your brain and you’re thinking about drinking.

Over time these triggers occur less and less and when they do occur we have the strength to handle them. At the beginning of the sober journey though; triggers can easily turn into lapses which can lead to full relapses.

Most triggers can be categorized into one of these 4 buckets:

• Environmental Triggers
• Situational Triggers
• Exposure Triggers
• Withdrawal Triggers

Withdrawal triggers I think are the hardest to ignore. When you go through withdrawal from alcohol even at the best of times you feel incredibly shitty. The shakes, sweating, nausea, headaches. All those symptoms would go away with a drink. And that right there is the trigger.

In those moments you need to remember your reasons for doing this and remind yourself that it is not worth risking your long term happiness for some short term relief.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common alcohol triggers and see what can be done to avoid them.

Withdrawal symptoms

I’ve mentioned these already. These can be particularly brutal if you are coming off alcohol cold turkey. The worst of the symptoms should subside after a few days, however it could take months for your body to be fully detoxed.

How to Avoid: Try detoxing under the supervision of a medical professional. They will be able to provide medication that will help you through the worst of it. Also hit as many meetings as you can. It will be helpful to be around other people who have been through what you are going through.

Emotional Distress

If you use alcohol as a coping mechanism this is one you should watch out for. It doesn’t have to be some great big emotional disaster, like a loved one dying, for the trigger to happen. It could be as simple as a friend cancelling plans. Or a rejection from a romantic interest.

How to Avoid: Unfortunately emotional distresses are by and large unavoidable. You can’t stop loved ones from dying. You can’t stay at home and wrap yourself in cotton wool to avoid ever being hurt. It’s just not feasible. What you can do however is surround yourselves with a support network of friends and sober companions who you can lean on when times become difficult. Remember a friend is easier to lean on than a bottle.

Peer Pressure

There will always be peer pressure in life. You might think that it goes away once you finish school but it doesn’t. There will always be someone nagging at you like Mrs. Doyle (ah go on) to have a drink. These people are not usually doing so because they want you to fail they are just ignorant to what might happen.

(Father Ted Series 1 Episode 4 – A cracking show if you haven’t seen it)

How to Avoid: This problem you can tackle straight on. Sit down with your friends and tell them that you are no longer drinking and would appreciate it if they showed you some support while you adjust to your new sober lifestyle. Alternatively if that is not possible (maybe your friends are dicks) then avoid those people who will pressure you into drinking. Or if you cannot avoid them learn to say “No” and “I said no” and “Fuck off”. In that order.

Disposable Cash

Lots of cash in your pocket is always a great excuse to celebrate. And we know what our favorite way to celebrate is don’t we?

Yup that’s right, with booze.

How to Avoid: Give away all your money so you can’t afford any booze!

Well maybe not that. What you could do instead is invest your money. I have some of my money in a high interest savings account that takes a day or two to transfer into my current account. This way if I do need money I can have it fairly quickly however I never have more than I need on hand for the next few days of expenses.

Testing Yourself

A lot of people relapse because they want to test their self-control. They want to prove that they have conquered alcohol and can now resist ‘going overboard’.

How to Avoid: Don’t do that.

Not really a difficult one to avoid. Just remember why you quit drinking in the first place. Do you really want to risk going back to how it was before?

Old Habits

For me it was a few cans while I sat down and played games. For others it could be the pint after work. Or the glass of wine while cooking dinner. When you get into a habit of drinking at a certain time or during a certain activity just doing that activity could be a trigger to drink.

Think Pavlov and his dogs. Except instead of the food you have booze and instead of the bell you have whatever activity is triggering to you.

How to Avoid: Literally avoid it. I knew when I quit drinking that it would be hard to sit down and play games without a drink. So I didn’t play games. Sure I could have played games without drinking (as I do now) but I knew that might trigger me so I didn’t. Not until I knew I was ready. Same with that pint after work. Just go straight home. If you need a glass of wine while you cook then don’t cook, get someone else to do it. Or eat out. Or make simpler meals.

Remember you are allowed to be a little bit selfish when it comes to your sobriety (Tweet This)

Exposure

TV, Movies, Billboards, Concerts, Restaurants, Supermarkets, Friend’s houses. Alcohol is everywhere. And for some this can be triggering. When adverts for alcohol are so ubiquitous and people are drinking everywhere it can be easy for someone to relapse

“Hey, if its everywhere it can’t be that bad”.

How to Avoid: Unfortunately avoiding exposure triggers is almost impossible. All you can do is limit how much you are exposed. Don’t keep alcohol around your house. Limit your visits to bars and restaurants if you feel they may cause you to relapse. When exposure is inevitable just remind yourself of your new sobriety. Remember why you started and all the good it has brought you since you began.

What are your triggers and how do you avoid them? Share with us in the comments below.