Mastering Substance Use Triggers: Identifying and Overcoming Internal & External Challenges
Ever feel like your brain is playing a cruel game of “temptation bingo,” where certain people, places, or emotions push you toward using substances? You’re not alone. Substance use triggers are sneaky, persistent, and sometimes downright manipulative. But the good news is they can be identified, understood, and conquered. Learn the two main types of substance use triggers—internal and external—as well as the effective DEADS strategy: Delay, Escape, Avoid, Distraction, and Substitute. Understanding these concepts will give you the tools to navigate urges effectively and take charge of your recovery.
What Are Substance Use Triggers?
A trigger is anything that sparks the urge to use a substance. Some are obvious, like walking past your old drinking spot. Others are subtle, like a sudden wave of loneliness or boredom. Triggers aren’t just random annoyances; they’re deeply rooted in habits, associations, and past experiences.
Triggers can be categorized into two main types: external and internal.
External vs. Internal Substance Use Triggers
External Substance Use Triggers: The World Around You
External triggers are the people, places, things, or situations that nudge you toward substance use. Think of them as booby traps lurking in your environment. Some common examples include:
- People: Old friends who still use, family members who stress you out, or even coworkers who drink after work.
- Places: Bars, clubs, or even a particular street corner associated with past substance use.
- Objects: Paraphernalia, prescription bottles, or even a familiar smell that reminds you of using.
- Events: Holidays, parties, concerts, or social gatherings where substance use is normalized.
These external triggers are powerful because they work on muscle memory. You see, smell, or hear something, and your brain kicks into autopilot, craving that familiar high. Recognizing these triggers is step one in cutting their power over you.
Internal Substance Use Triggers: The Battle Within
Internal triggers are the emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations that create a desire to use substances. Unlike external triggers, these come from within, making them harder to escape. Some examples include:
- Emotions: Stress, sadness, loneliness, frustration, excitement, or even boredom.
- Thoughts: “I deserve this,” “Just one more time won’t hurt,” “I can quit anytime.”
- Physical sensations: Fatigue, pain, tension, or cravings that make you seek relief.
Internal triggers are sneaky because they disguise themselves as normal emotional responses. But once you learn to recognize them, you can start responding differently.
DEADS Strategy: Five Tools to Combat Substance Use Triggers
DEADS: Delay, Escape, Avoid, Distraction, and Substitute are five techniques to help you outmaneuver cravings and stay in control.
- Delay: Hitting the Pause Button
The urge to use a substance often feels urgent, like a fire alarm blaring in your brain. But here’s the trick: cravings pass. They typically peak within 20–30 minutes and then start to fade.
Try this: When a craving hits, set a timer for 20 minutes. Tell yourself you’ll revisit the thought after the timer goes off. By then, the intensity has often dropped, making it easier to resist.
- Escape: Get Out of There
Sometimes, the best response to a trigger is a swift exit. If you find yourself in a risky situation—say, at a party where substances are being passed around—get out of there. There’s no shame in protecting yourself.
Even if leaving completely isn’t an option, you can create mental escape routes. Step outside, call a friend, or focus on something unrelated to take yourself out of the moment.
- Avoid: Don’t Walk Into the Trap
Avoidance isn’t weakness—it’s strategy. If you know that a certain bar or friend group leads you toward using, steer clear. Avoidance isn’t about running away forever; it’s about giving yourself the best chance to succeed.
Set up boundaries. Change your routine. Take a different route home. Do whatever it takes to avoid known substance use triggers.
- Distraction: Trick Your Brain
Cravings demand attention. The best way to fight back? Give your brain something else to do. Here are some great distractions:
- Exercise: Go for a run, hit the gym, or do some yoga.
- Creative outlets: Paint, write, play music—anything that engages your mind.
- Social connection: Call a supportive friend or attend a support group meeting.
- Mindfulness: Try deep breathing, meditation, or grounding techniques.
When you’re engaged in something else, cravings lose their grip faster.
- Substitute: Swap Out the Habit
Your brain loves routines, and substance use often becomes part of a ritual. The key is to replace that ritual with something healthier. Instead of drinking after work, try a relaxing tea ritual. Instead of using to cope with stress, go for a walk or practice deep breathing.
Substitution works because it satisfies the brain’s craving for a routine without feeding the addiction.
Why Do These Strategies Work? The Psychology Behind DEADS
- Delaying disrupts impulsive decision-making, giving your brain time to regain rational control.
- Escaping removes you from high-risk situations before cravings escalate.
- Avoiding minimizes exposure to triggers, reducing their power over you.
- Distraction engages different parts of your brain, interrupting the craving cycle.
- Substituting rewires habitual behavior, creating new, healthier patterns.
Together, these strategies reprogram the brain’s response to substance use triggers, making long-term recovery more sustainable.
Take Control of Your Triggers
Substance use triggers can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to control you. By identifying internal and external triggers and using DEADS strategies, you can take back control and build a life where cravings don’t dictate your choices.
Recovery isn’t about willpower alone—it’s about having the right tools and strategies. And now, you have them. What you do next is up to you.
Break Free from Triggers—Start Your Journey Today
If substance use triggers are making recovery difficult, you don’t have to navigate it alone. COPE Psychological Center offers expert guidance and evidence-based strategies to help you stay on track.
Reach out to COPE Psychological Center today and take the first step toward lasting freedom from substance use triggers. Your future self will thank you.
About COPE Psychological Center
Our Mission
At COPE Psychological Center, we are committed to providing comprehensive mental health care that is both evidence-based and tailored to your unique needs. Our approach integrates scientifically proven psychological interventions designed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and addiction. Our clinicians are extensively trained and certified in a range of evidence-based therapies, including:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD
- Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD
- Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy (IBCT)
Whether you seek therapy to manage a specific diagnosis, reduce substance use and substance use triggers, navigate life transitions, improve relationships, process grief, or find deeper meaning and purpose, we are here to guide you. Our goal is to help you identify the challenges impacting your well-being and equip you with the insights, tools, and skills necessary to build the life you envision. We combine evidence-based treatments with a developmental approach to understand how your current struggles fit within the broader story of your life.
Our Values
Passionate – We are deeply committed to the work we do and the clients we serve.
Holistic – We embrace the complexity of each individual’s experience, helping to integrate different aspects of their life into a more cohesive sense of self.
Collaborative – We work alongside our clients, supporting them in achieving their goals and aligning with their personal values.
Authentic – We prioritize genuine connections, fostering a therapeutic space built on trust and honesty.
Humble – We recognize that every person is the expert of their own life. Our role is to understand their world and provide guidance that respects their experiences and perspectives.
We believe in empowering you on your journey to mental wellness—one step at a time.