What is a trigger for substance use?
A trigger is a situation, event, or feeling that happens and causes an individual to want to use substances. Triggers are categorized into two types: internal and external. Triggers can occur for individuals who use substances occasionally and to those who use daily. Increasing our awareness of what causes you to want to use is the first step in making changes to your substance use.
A German scientist, Ivan Pavlov, discovered the psychological phenomenon called classical conditioning. Pavlov collected, measured and analyzed saliva from dogs under different conditions. Pavlov noticed that the dogs would salivate prior to being delivered their food. He decided to present the dogs with their food and ring a bell at the same time, pairing the food with the bell. The dogs began to learn when they heard the bell, they would soon receive their food. Pavlov then took away the food and only rang the bell. He discovered the dogs still salivated as if they would be receiving food when the bell was rung the bell. Salivation is a reflex, or unconditioned response. He observed he could manipulate this response in animals.
This same principal can be applied to humans and substance use. For example, say you go out on Friday nights to a bar and have a drink. You have done this for years and it has become a part of your routine. You may find yourself looking forward to Fridays and expecting that you’ll have a drink that night. Your brain will anticipate that every Friday night, it will be experiencing euphoria from alcohol. Our brains become conditioned to expect substance use around situations, events, or feelings.
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Internal triggers
Internal triggers describe the internal sensations that humans experience. Internal triggers include:
- Emotions
- Physical sensations and discomforts
- Thoughts
Others cannot see our internal world. Our emotions, sensations and thoughts are uniquely ours and only we can identify our internal state. Boredom and stress are the two most common internal triggers experienced. When bored, it’s easy to find a substance to entertain yourself. A Saturday can be much more fun with a beer and a blunt right? Well, your brain thinks so if it has been conditioned to think that way.
Additionally, many people report stress is an internal trigger. Stress causes people to search for something, often substances, to release the pressure and tension. The American culture perpetuates this idea as well. Alcohol ads portray a message of relaxation and fun. The mommy wine culture also promotes the idea that moms need wine to get by and handle parenting. Americans’ brains are primed to reach out for alcohol to cope with stress. Others may have found prescription medications as the solution to their stress and this can also become a problem.
External triggers
External triggers are events or situations that happen outside of ourselves. External triggers include:
- Time of day
- Weekday
- Special occasions- weddings, celebrations, holidays
- Music
- Doctor’s appointments
These events take place outside of our minds and can be easier to detect for most people. As described earlier, your brain maybe conditioned to expect beer on Friday nights. Or perhaps, payday comes around and you know that tonight you’re going to get high to celebrate. Special occasions are often surrounded by substances. For many people, listening to music brings them back to a time when they were high or drunk and it can trigger them to want to use again.
Trigger awareness increases insight
Learning about your triggers will help you to learn about yourself and your patterns of use. Whether your goals are to make no changes to your substance use or to cut down, bringing an awareness to your patterns of use and emotions that trigger you to use will increase your insight. You can also begin to target and make changes where you see necessary. You may find that on a Friday night, you choose to go walk on the beach instead. You may become aware that at weddings, you usually end up blacked out and regret your behaviors in the morning. Next time, you can choose to go into the wedding with the decision to space and pace your drinks and refrain from all other drugs. It’s important to take yourself off of auto pilot and feel more empowered in the decisions you’re making around substance use. You can make healthy decisions surrounding substance use. It takes awareness, willingness, and behavior change to make the difference.
Are you ready to make the difference? LMV Counseling in Wilmington, NC specializes in the care of those looking to change their habits surrounding substance use. We provide individual counseling and partner with you in this journey. Our counseling are Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist and can guide you on the path to feeling more in control over your use. Get started now.
