Understanding your triggers can be an important part of maintaining recovery.
In this video, James, a member of the Recovery Hub team explains how triggers and urges can affect people in recovery, and why recognising them is an important step in reducing the risk of returning to substance use.
Triggers can be found in everyday situations, from certain places, advertisements and social situations to specific sights, sounds or experiences. The video explores how identifying personal triggers can help people put practical strategies in place, such as changing routines, taking alternative routes and building a supportive network of friends and people they can contact when they need help.
Drawing on their own experience of recovery, the speaker also explains that triggers and urges can continue to occur, but recognising and managing them can help people maintain their recovery.