Frary: Drugs and alcohol reach for us through all five senses
Jennifer Frary
It was a dark and stormy night. The moon was full behind the clouds, so there was just enough light to see the wind wiping leaves off of the trees. Perfect reason to drink. It was a perfect summer day: high in the low 80s, with sunshine and a light breeze. Perfect day to drink. It was a day that ended in “y.” Birthday, holiday, Tuesday.
BANG! The trigger has been pulled and the reaction has begun. The bullet is racing toward its target. Without masterful bob-and-weave skills, pain will follow. That’s a relapse in a nutshell.
Triggers for alcohol or other drug use come in as many forms as there are people to experience them. They are pulled by things we see, smell, taste, feel or hear. The more senses associated with drug or alcohol use, the more triggers exist. Let’s take a closer look:
Sight. Run into an old high school flame 20 years later, and all of a sudden your emotional state returns to the butterflies and jitters of the first time you kissed. Sights that may trigger relapse include the local bar, others drinking/using and enjoying themselves, the Genesee Beer sign, or a black light felt poster. Any sight one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Smell. Cinnamon and cloves bring back Christmas, while fresh cut grass and earthworms evoke spring. Scents are powerful memory triggers. Can you remember what your grandmother’s house smelled like? Your baby’s skin after a bath? Smells that may trigger relapse include burning sage, which is similar to marijuana smoke, alcohol escaping the pores of a neighbor on the bus, or the bottle return business. Any smell one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Taste. "I’m so hungry I can taste it." I’ve said that plenty of times. Try a new dish and you might say it tastes like chicken. Tastes or flavors that may trigger relapse include: non-alcoholic cocktails or beer, or the junk food commonly consumed during that period of one's life. Any taste one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Hearing. Have you ever had the experience of hearing a song for the first time in a long time and it brings you back to the first time you heard it? Who you were with, what you were doing, and how it made you feel? Sounds that may trigger relapse include the pop and crackle of a wood fire, genres of music listened to during the using period of life, or the verbal expressions of those who don’t believe one is making a change. Any sound one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Touch. You may recall your treasured stuffed animal from childhood when shopping for a new plush gift. Holding your partner's hand can give you a sense of security and peace because it reminds you of the commitment and love. Sensations of touch that may trigger a relapse include a pipe, a glass bottle or even a cigarette on the lips. Any sensation one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
It should also be included here that sensations of feelings or emotions are powerful triggers. Allow me to consider them as “touch” on an internal or spiritual level. Some emotional states seem to be obvious triggers: anger, sadness, betrayal, abandonment, etc. One would not be surprised that drugs or alcohol would be associated with these feelings as a form of self-medication. However, the opposite is equally true. Alcohol is a frequent guest at weddings, graduation parties, baseball games and all other forms of celebration in our culture. In many cases, drugs are invited to the same events. Thus, drugs and alcohol “touch” emotionally in positive ways, too.
The five senses are powerful human experiences. The longer a substance is used, the more each of the senses is associated with using. Individuals who use “all day every day” or “to function” are training their brains to associate even mundane events with using: washing dishes, going to work or walking the dog. The trigger isn’t always a party, a dark room, a bar-room or a liquor store. Knowing what one’s triggers are, or could be, is key to relapse prevention. If we can gain awareness of the triggers, we can plan ahead for taking appropriate action.
http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/fra...cle_859d4ec6-cdb9-59cb-b735-2ea635b02be2.html
Jennifer Frary
It was a dark and stormy night. The moon was full behind the clouds, so there was just enough light to see the wind wiping leaves off of the trees. Perfect reason to drink. It was a perfect summer day: high in the low 80s, with sunshine and a light breeze. Perfect day to drink. It was a day that ended in “y.” Birthday, holiday, Tuesday.
BANG! The trigger has been pulled and the reaction has begun. The bullet is racing toward its target. Without masterful bob-and-weave skills, pain will follow. That’s a relapse in a nutshell.
Triggers for alcohol or other drug use come in as many forms as there are people to experience them. They are pulled by things we see, smell, taste, feel or hear. The more senses associated with drug or alcohol use, the more triggers exist. Let’s take a closer look:
Sight. Run into an old high school flame 20 years later, and all of a sudden your emotional state returns to the butterflies and jitters of the first time you kissed. Sights that may trigger relapse include the local bar, others drinking/using and enjoying themselves, the Genesee Beer sign, or a black light felt poster. Any sight one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Smell. Cinnamon and cloves bring back Christmas, while fresh cut grass and earthworms evoke spring. Scents are powerful memory triggers. Can you remember what your grandmother’s house smelled like? Your baby’s skin after a bath? Smells that may trigger relapse include burning sage, which is similar to marijuana smoke, alcohol escaping the pores of a neighbor on the bus, or the bottle return business. Any smell one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Taste. "I’m so hungry I can taste it." I’ve said that plenty of times. Try a new dish and you might say it tastes like chicken. Tastes or flavors that may trigger relapse include: non-alcoholic cocktails or beer, or the junk food commonly consumed during that period of one's life. Any taste one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Hearing. Have you ever had the experience of hearing a song for the first time in a long time and it brings you back to the first time you heard it? Who you were with, what you were doing, and how it made you feel? Sounds that may trigger relapse include the pop and crackle of a wood fire, genres of music listened to during the using period of life, or the verbal expressions of those who don’t believe one is making a change. Any sound one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
Touch. You may recall your treasured stuffed animal from childhood when shopping for a new plush gift. Holding your partner's hand can give you a sense of security and peace because it reminds you of the commitment and love. Sensations of touch that may trigger a relapse include a pipe, a glass bottle or even a cigarette on the lips. Any sensation one associated with their substance use, either once or over a period of years, can be a trigger.
It should also be included here that sensations of feelings or emotions are powerful triggers. Allow me to consider them as “touch” on an internal or spiritual level. Some emotional states seem to be obvious triggers: anger, sadness, betrayal, abandonment, etc. One would not be surprised that drugs or alcohol would be associated with these feelings as a form of self-medication. However, the opposite is equally true. Alcohol is a frequent guest at weddings, graduation parties, baseball games and all other forms of celebration in our culture. In many cases, drugs are invited to the same events. Thus, drugs and alcohol “touch” emotionally in positive ways, too.
The five senses are powerful human experiences. The longer a substance is used, the more each of the senses is associated with using. Individuals who use “all day every day” or “to function” are training their brains to associate even mundane events with using: washing dishes, going to work or walking the dog. The trigger isn’t always a party, a dark room, a bar-room or a liquor store. Knowing what one’s triggers are, or could be, is key to relapse prevention. If we can gain awareness of the triggers, we can plan ahead for taking appropriate action.
http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/fra...cle_859d4ec6-cdb9-59cb-b735-2ea635b02be2.html
