How do I deal with triggers? Simple, really: I write them down. I usually make a list of my most glaring defects or in this case triggers, that way I can see firsthand what I'm up against.
For example, when I write things down, I can usually pinpoint how I got there. In my case, I try to avoid certain topics like political conversations; those are known triggers for me. What about situations, people or even specific events; shouldn't we write those down also. The idea here is to make a generalized list, which I believe can heighten your awareness, somehow. That way we can prevent a possible relapse. Then when you notice this same thing happening again, well, you can remove yourself from harms way. You'll be amazed how quickly we can diffuse any situation.
-- Edited by Mr_David on Monday 16th of September 2013 03:39:00 AM
Early in my step work I learned of HALT (Hungry Angry Lonely Tired). I payed attention. I still pay. I notice when I'm in the middle of triggers and letting the HALT run my life. The realization that I have a choice to make now. Right now. Can be overwhelming and make me want to run even further into my addictive behaviors including alcohol or what was cigars or working too much.
I know those solutions only create more problems. My alcohol took me to places I am not proud of and I blaimed exhaustion (TIRED). My alcohol allowed me address my loneliness by painting the world with rose colored glasses so all I saw was suave me, not drunk me, and suave me was never Lonely. Hunger is a daily excuse. I still use food as a fix and know that if food was not available to fix me, I'd be on to the next thing for my fix. Angry? me? I don't admit to doing that. But my wife says she hasn't known me to not be angry for the last few years. huh? years? mad? me? nope. dang it. I'm an alcoholic all right and an addict and a human. I am choosing.
Yup, I'm still triggered all over the place. And that is okay. I know my triggers. I know my excuses. I know my choice. And I have to choose every time, like right now. I still choose to be quit of smoking. And I have not bought a bottle or had a drink in 3weeks or so... And these are my choices that help me paint a new picture and define a new me.
How do you use triggers? How do you react to your triggers? How do you recognize your triggers?
Any other ways of seeing the HALT? I attached boredom awhile back...but it doesn't apply so much anymore.
During the process of working the 12 steps, we learn to clean house ... and part of this cleaning involves asking God to remove our 'character defects' ... 'TRIGGERS' ... ... ...
When we have sufficiently completed the steps, we find that the 'triggers' of the past, have been removed ... of course they will return unless we maintain our spiritual health, meaning daily conscious contact with God ... our new way of life has very little room for our thoughts to go back to our old way of thinking ... remember, we must experience a 'total psychic change' in order to live in recovery ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Halts are part of the everyday existence of all humans, alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Us alcoholics just happen to turn to the bottle when triggers occur as an easy way to relieve the pain. My big one happens to be taking myself too Seriously. When that trigger appears I step back to remind myself I am but a small speck of existence in a much bigger picture. If "S" occurs while driving I pull over for five minutes. If at dinner with friends I go to the bathroom for a couple of minutes. I remove myself from the current situation to relax and reflect that it is probably not as important as I think it is.
How do you use triggers? How do you react to your triggers? How do you recognize your triggers?
I can only speak for myself on this one....I noticed you used the word "excuse" a few times in there....For me it's as simple as this.
Trigger = Excuse
Same damn thing.
If I'm going to work step one 100% right....Because that's the only one I have to get 100% right....And I was willing to accept spritual help...I prayed a lot early on in my step work...I prayed for willingness...honesty...And to remove any excuses I may come up with to make me drink.
Somehow I was granted all three....And my favorite promises in that book came true...Somewhere between steps 5 and 9...These are the promises I am talking about.
And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone - even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have returned. We will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, we recoil from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. We will see that our new attitude toward liquor has been given us without any thought or effort on our part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality - safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition.
BB pgs 84 and 85
So today....I don't worry about triggers...Or making excuses....The problem has been removed....As long as I keep in fit spritual condition...Which for me...Is living steps 10, 11 and 12...The best that I can.
Triggers seem to be an invention of the treatment industry based on the premise that there is something out there causing us to drink. Getting rid of all the triggers, in theory, should mean we will have no need to drink and will therefore stay sober.
We used to call it a geographical. It was believed that certain environmental factors, people, places and things, were causing me to drink so I move to a completely different town, all new people places and things, and I'm still drinking! So everything is a trigger?
The truth is I suffered from an internal condition which alcohol treated. When I stopped drinking it was because I had found a spiritual way to treat the internal condition, and I no longer needed to drink.
There is nothing wrong with the halt idea, it is good practical advice for anyone alcoholic or not. Anything that buys another day of sobriety is worth trying, but my drinking was not due to any external influence.
Nor was it a matter of choice, I had lost the power of choice in drink and never got it back. The one choice I did have was to follow a few simple suggestions the result of which is that I have been placed in a position of neutrality.. I no longer even need to make a choice about drink. The problem has been removed.
