Aug 23, 2016 | By Kelly Fitzgerald

Triggers vs. Cravings – What’s the Difference?

Recovery

Cravings and triggers are two words we hear a lot in recovery. Generally, they are a part of aftercare when you are at an addiction treatment center and they are touched on in many recovery groups because of their importance in long-term recovery. We know that triggers and cravings are related and that they’re related to relapse. But what makes them different? How are they connected to each other and will we have to worry about them for our entire lives in recovery?

What’s the Difference Between Triggers and Cravings?

A trigger is something, anything, that brings back painful thoughts, memories, feelings or ideas that have to do with your addiction. It could be your drug of choice, a certain bar or club you used to go to, a person who may have been your dealer, or a song that you used to listen to that’s associated with alcohol or drugs. I’ve found that triggers come up in the funniest of places.

Sometimes it’s a smell or a taste for me. Recently I was drinking an apple cranberry flavored sparkling water and it gave me flashbacks to a horrible blackout I had in college. I had blacked out drinking apple Smirnoff. For some reason, the taste of the sparkling water brought me back. That’s why triggers can be so intense, they sometimes come up when we least expect it, even if we’re strong in our recovery.

Cravings can be excruciating in a unique way. A craving is just like when you’re hungry and haven’t eaten for hours and all you can think about is consuming your favorite foods. A craving for a drink or a drug is even stronger and more intense. It can feel like life itself is dependent on you getting that drug. However, the relief you feel consuming the drug will eventually wear off and the cycle will begin again. It’s important to understand that craving is a normal part of addiction. It doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong or that you are going to resume drug use.

But you should understand what cravings are like for you since they’re different for everyone. Some people experience cravings as a feeling: a pit in the stomach feeling, a racing heart, or a feeling like you need it now. Others feel like they can smell or taste their drug of choice out of nowhere. For some, it’s more of a cognitive craving where they feel like their drug is calling them, or they just can’t get it out of their head. In addition to the way a craving manifests, it can affect everyone differently. This means the level and intensity vary, as well as maintaining control over and getting past a craving can take an hour to several days, to accomplish. Cravings may bother you slightly or they can make you feel incredibly uncomfortable.

I think the biggest difference between triggers and cravings is the physical component. Cravings can make you feel something physical like anxiousness or nervousness, make you salivate, or even give you a headache. If they’re bad enough, cravings can make it seem as though you’ll die if you don’t get your drug. I believe cravings of this caliber are a symptom of withdrawal. Although cravings can sometimes come out of nowhere, they can also be triggered. That’s where triggers come in. These familiar sounds, smells, people, places, and things can trigger a drug craving.

Do we Have to Worry about Cravings and Triggers Forever?

Obviously, cravings and triggers are connected and it’s no wonder so much time is spent on these topics in addiction treatment centers and as a means to prevent relapse. As people with addictions, our first reaction is always going to be to do whatever it takes not to feel uncomfortable. To some, this means drinking or taking a drug when a craving arises or a trigger is felt. But like I mentioned above, this is only a temporary fix. The cycle will always begin again.

Some people are scared of cravings and I can understand why. But it’s important to know that craving is not a sign of weakness and can be dealt with. It doesn’t matter how strong a craving is or how painful a trigger is; you don’t have to give in to them. A craving is a wave you can ride out. It will always pass, and the longer you hold out, the less intense cravings become.

The other important thing to remember is a craving is not always the same thing as withdrawal. Withdrawal is a process your body may or may not go through after you stop using. Withdrawal symptoms depend on your length of use, the type of drug, and the frequency of use. There are some people who do not experience physical withdrawal or experience mild symptoms.

Triggers and cravings should not rule your recovery. You shouldn’t be avoiding these two things constantly in recovery. Yes, they will come up, and yes, you will need to deal with them, but they are only one small component of a beautiful life in recovery.

My favorite way to deal with triggers and cravings is to think about them logically. Triggers generally remind me of my past, whether it’s drinking, hangovers, fun nights out at the club, or embarrassing situations I used to get in. I allow them into my present, I acknowledge them, and I know that they will pass. They are reminders of what my life used to be like and how different it is now.

When I get cravings (which is rarely now) I get busy; I go to a meeting, I exercise, I read, write, work, or do something else to keep my body and mind occupied. I always remind myself that every feeling is temporary, especially cravings. I also go through the motions in my head. What would happen if I drank right now? I would want more than one drink, I wouldn’t be satisfied, I would probably put myself in danger, and I would regret it later.

Even with the occasional trigger or craving, I have more freedom from my life in recovery than I ever had on any day I was drinking.