Avoiding Triggers: Essential Strategies at Liberty Home Care Facilities

Understanding Triggers

What is a Trigger?

A trigger is a stimulus that can lead a recovering addict to engage in their substance or behavior of choice. These triggers can be anything from specific environments and social circles to emotional states and sensory experiences. Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, excessive shopping, gambling, stealing, binge eating, or anorexia, triggers act as negative propellers that drive individuals back to their addictive behaviors.

Identifying Root Causes

At Liberty Home Primary and Secondary Care Facilities, located in Cape Town, South Africa, and Kortrijk, Belgium, our holistic and bespoke therapeutic treatment programs focus on uncovering the root causes of addiction. Understanding the pain and trauma that lead to these destructive behaviors is crucial in learning how to avoid triggers effectively.

While identify and uncovering the root causes from which the client is trying to escape, triggers are addressed in great depth. This is also a common subject discuss in group meetings where clients openly share in a safe environment.

Common Triggers and How to Avoid Them

Social and Environmental Triggers

One common trigger is the social environment. If you began drinking or using drugs with a specific group of friends at certain pubs or clubs, returning to those environments can be a significant trigger. The familiarity of these settings and the people associated with past behaviors can tempt you into a relapse. At Liberty Home, we strongly advise avoiding such environments and social circles. Instead, we work with clients in individual and group sessions to develop alternative strategies and healthier social networks.

Gambling and Financial Triggers

For those with a gambling addiction, casinos and gambling environments are direct triggers. The thrill and compulsion associated with gambling can be difficult to resist when exposed to these settings. Similarly, associating with friends who gamble can also serve as a trigger. We encourage our clients to avoid these high-risk situations and offer support in finding new, fulfilling activities and relationships that do not revolve around gambling. This also includes online gambling, gaming, and social media addictions.

Emotional and Psychological Triggers

Emotional states such as stress, anxiety, and depression can also act as triggers. These feelings often drive individuals to seek relief through their addictive behavior. At Liberty Home, we provide tools and strategies to manage these emotions in healthier ways. This includes mindfulness practices, stress management techniques, and regular therapy sessions to build emotional resilience.

Developing Alternative Strategies

Building a New Lifestyle

Creating a new, positive lifestyle is essential for avoiding triggers. We assist our clients in planning and building this new way of life before they leave our facilities. This involves finding new hobbies, developing a supportive social network, and engaging in activities that promote well-being and personal growth. Many people decide to move away from their environments to start elsewhere with a clean slate. While we understand that this may not always be logistically easy to do, we support the idea of fresh beginnings – new friends, a new job and healthy environments away from potential triggers.

Of course, we know that there will always be triggers, be it a stressful day at work, a party that you’re invited to, an upsetting occurrence and a host of others, all of which by default your first behaviour would have been to reach for that which eased, obliterated or temporarily shut out the painful emotions.

However, in following the programs that we provide, the intensive therapy, and ongoing compassionate and non-judgemental support, we arm you with tools of resilience to stop, consider the consequences, and seek a healthy alternative.

Part of our therapeutic approach is helping our clients identify their feelings, acknowledge them, name them and sit through the feelings which do pass. There is no quick fix, but there is also no quick fix to recovery. Our clients commit to undertake to walk this road beside us which isn’t always easy, but it is always well worth it. Nobody has ever regretted turning to sobriety and a clean lifestyle. We support you all the way.

Relapse Prevention Planning

Relapse prevention is a core component of our treatment programs. We arm our clients with alternative tools and strategies to handle potential triggers. This includes recognizing early warning signs, developing coping mechanisms, and having a solid plan in place to deal with cravings and high-risk situations.

Conclusion

At Liberty Home Primary and Secondary Care Facilities, we are dedicated to helping our clients identify and avoid triggers to achieve long-term recovery. Through our comprehensive treatment programs in Cape Town and Kortrijk, we provide the necessary tools and support to ensure our clients leave feeling confident and equipped to maintain their sobriety. For more information on how we can support you or your loved one, visit Liberty Home.

Together We Overcome.