What’s the Difference Between Cravings and Triggers?

Triggers and cravings can present some of the biggest hurdles throughout recovery. In fact, it’s common for many addicts to relapse in recovery due to triggers that may have gone unnoticed and unaddressed throughout rehab and therapeutic interventions. So, what are triggers and cravings exactly? And what’s the difference between them?

Both cravings and triggers play a significant role in the direction of your rehab program. In this article, we take a closer look at what these terms mean and how you can navigate them, guiding you toward lasting sobriety and recovery.

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What is a Trigger?

A trigger is something, such as an experience or stimulus, that leads to an action or a series of actions. In terms of drug use, it leads an individual to use drugs. For example, this could involve walking past a familiar party spot where you had frequently used substances in the past. Or it could include the experience of intense stress, which caused you to use drugs as a means to escape or cope.

Unlike cravings, triggers are the catalysts that set drug use in motion. And they can be virtually anything—people, places, emotions, situations, smells, sounds, or even times of day that your brain has learned to associate with substance use.

Essentially, triggers work through learned association. When you used drugs or alcohol in certain situations over and over, your brain formed strong connections between those settings and substance use. Even after getting sober, seeing or experiencing those same things can quickly trigger cravings and bring back memories of using.

Common triggers include:

Intense emotions (like stress or anger)
Loneliness
Boredom
Celebrations (like parties)
Specific locations
Specific people or social groups
Particular music
Specific activities

At the end of the day, understanding your triggers plays an important role in maintaining sobriety. And it’s okay to have these. However, it’s how you handle them that matters the most. They often become problematic when they catch you unexpectedly. Yet, knowing what your triggers are can help you plan in advance, as well as develop healthy coping mechanisms or avoid situations, people, events, or places that may lead you to use.

Common Trigger	Example	Suggested Coping Strategy
Intense emotions	Stress or anger	CBT, mindfulness, breathing exercises
Loneliness	Feeling isolated	Social support, calling a sponsor
Boredom	Lack of activities	Engaging in hobbies, exercise
Celebrations	Parties or holidays	Attending sober events, setting boundaries
Specific people	Old using friends	Avoidance, boundary-setting

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What is a Craving?

A craving involves an intense desire or urge to use a substance. Often, in recovery, it follows an exposure to one (or several) of your triggers. In other words, while triggers are the learned association, cravings are the learned response to that association.

Cravings also frequently arise during the detox phase of rehab. Psychologically, you might experience obsessive thoughts about using, vivid memories of past highs, or an overwhelming sense that you “need” the substance to feel normal. Your mind may become fixated on obtaining and using drugs or alcohol, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else. Physically, cravings can produce symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, restlessness, muscle tension, or even nausea.

At the same time, the intensity and duration of these cravings can vary depending on the individual and their specific situation. Some may notice their cravings are very brief and pass fairly quickly. But, for others, cravings can persist for hours or days, which can lead to drug use.

Factors that impact whether cravings lead to drug use include:

Sleep
Overall physical health
How long a person has been sober

However, it’s worth noting that these feelings and urges are temporary. Your brain isn’t used to not having the substance, and cravings are a natural part of this transitional period.

Aspect	Trigger	Craving
Definition	A stimulus that leads to thoughts or actions associated with substance use.	An intense urge or desire to use a substance, often following a trigger.
Cause	Learned association with past substance use.	Response to a trigger or detox-related symptoms.
Examples	People, places, emotions, sounds, times of day.	Obsessive thoughts, physical symptoms like restlessness or nausea.
Duration	Momentary but can be recurring.	Can last minutes to days depending on various factors.
Management	Avoidance, coping strategies, CBT, setting boundaries.	Grounding techniques, support systems, CBT, patience.

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How To Navigate Triggers and Cravings

During your rehabilitation program, you’ll learn how to navigate your specific triggers and cravings to sustain your sobriety and pave your way toward lasting healing. Therapies and strategies that may be used to do this include:

Identifying & Avoiding Triggers

With your therapist, you’ll determine what your individual triggers involve. From there, you’ll learn how to effectively avoid them (such as not surrounding yourself with certain social groups or avoiding specific places) or learn healthy coping mechanisms (such as the strategies below) to overcome them.

Keeping a Journal of Your Triggers

Often, the foundation of identifying triggers involves keeping track of what leads to cravings. While some may be obvious, others might not be as noticeable until you find yourself in the midst of a triggering situation or experience.

Strategy	Applies To	Description
Identifying & Avoiding Triggers	Triggers	Working with a therapist to recognize and avoid situations that lead to substance use.
Keeping a Trigger Journal	Triggers	Tracking experiences to better understand what leads to cravings.
CBT	Both	Challenging and reframing intrusive thoughts and emotional responses.
Setting Boundaries	Triggers	Avoiding people, places, or media that may encourage substance use.
Reaching Out for Support	Cravings	Contacting a sponsor, therapist, or loved one during difficult times.
Grounding Techniques	Cravings	Practicing deep breathing and mindfulness to ride out the urge.

Using CBT to Challenge Intrusive Thoughts

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you learn to reframe your thoughts in response to certain triggers. This is particularly useful for individuals who find themselves turning to drug use due to intense stress, anxiety, anger, sadness, or other emotions.

Setting Boundaries

Through one-on-one therapy, you’ll learn to set healthy boundaries. This may mean cutting ties with friends who use drugs, avoiding movies that glamorize substance use, or no longer attending certain events at specific locations (such as your local bar). These personal boundaries help set you up for success, not just in recovery, but for life.

Reaching Out to Your Sponsor or Therapist

When you feel the urge to use, reach out to your sponsors, therapist, or a trusted loved one. Simply having someone to talk to during these heightened times can help you reaffirm and recommit to your sobriety.

Practicing Patience & Grounding Techniques

When confronted with a trigger or craving, sometimes, the best thing you can do is remind yourself that it’s temporary. It will pass. Using grounding techniques, such as deep breathing, during these moments can help you remain calm and avoid impulsive decisions.

At Freedom Recovery Centers (FRC), our team works with you to identify and overcome your triggers and cravings. Throughout the detoxification phase of recovery, we’ll also support you, emotionally and physically, as you navigate the most difficult side of cravings. For more information, call us at 804-635-3746 or fill out our online form. Our phone lines are open 24/7; we’re here for you when you’re ready.