calmself

We generally talk a lot about what triggers us. But have you guys identified any anti triggers that reduce or remove your interest to drink on any given day?

I have noticed that whenever I have an early dinner, the interest to drink is 90% gone.

BullDog777

When I went to AA, they had an abbreviation called HALT. Try not to ever get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. So Eating a good meal, laughing, being around sober friends and family and getting good sleep is a solid anti-trigger start.

Also for me personally-running, painting/drawing/and watching a good movie helps a lot too. Hobbies are a big anti-trigger for me. Anything positive I can do to distract myself and get me out of my head is more than half the battle. I also like listening to inspirational/motivational speakers on youtube.

Hodd

I reckon that’s the biggest factor in quitting, having something to occupy your mind. Preferably it should be a new interest but definitely something like exercise that drinking doesn’t go with.

I found ice cream to be an “anti-trigger”, but this is hardly a long-term solution.

Triggered

urge surfing works for me sometimes:

https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...e-surfing.html (urge surfing)

fishkiller

I just need to remember why I came to SR.
I was not well. I never want to go back there.
Takes the desire to drink away everyday.

DriGuy

I never thought about the concept of anti-triggers, but now that you have me thinking about it, I think my strongest anti-trigger used to be one of my stronger triggers. Being around people who are drinking brings up revolting thoughts of my past life. But it's not that way for other triggers. I sometimes have thoughts of kicking back with a drink after completing a job well done. Almost all of my other big triggers of the past are now non-events, void of emotion or craving. Most of them pass without me even noticing.

KAD65

As far as physical cravings, being hungry is definitely one of the biggest triggers, so eating something really does help take that one away. Most of my other anti-triggers are vivid memories of how my life came unraveled because of alcohol. In a matter of only a few weeks, all the things I boasted had never happened to me because of drinking happened in rapid succession. The destruction that caused in my life has been the most potent anti-trigger of all.

Zebra1275

Sober Recovery website

Mizz

Anti-Triggers:
I would drink when I got off work. That time was always the decompress time. Decompress myself into full blown active alcoholism!

I started to take baths after work and drink hot tea. Eat food. Early bed. Reading.
The replacement of baths and hot tea took away any triggers I felt. It took a lot of time to adjust to the new routine but it has proven to be successful.

I have not put myself in situations where I experience many triggers. The pandemic has grounded me to my house in a sense.

In short, hot tea and baths. Food. Other activities until the feeling abates.

least

Nothing triggers me these days. Drinking never enters my mind, except to be thankful I don't do it anymore. But one of the things I can always count on to soothe my soul is petting or walking my beagirl Billie. She likes to sit in my lap and lick my palms. While she's licking one, the other is petting her smooth shiny fur. She is my antidepressant. Best medicine I've got.

MissPerfumado

What a thought-provoking idea, calmself, the anti-trigger!

I would say an excellent anti-trigger for me is a long run, anything over 12 km. I don't do those so much these days but in early days of sobriety I relied on long-distance running as therapy. It would once have been a trigger but in sobriety I got in touch with my body to such an extent and it felt so fit, clean and high-functioning, I couldn't imagine poisoning it with alcohol.

Once I had some years of sobriety under my belt, I found myself untangling the root causes of my drinking. A lot of it was tied up in the stress of my demanding job and doing something that I had no passion for. It has taken years and is still a work in progress, but I am building a life where everything I do gives me deep satisfaction. I want to embrace life not escape from it. I want to show up for people everyday because I love what I do for them. That means my whole life, from its core, is an anti-trigger.

overforty

Food was always an anti trigger for me too.
An early dinner usually put me off drinking for a few reasons - but if I'm honest I used to see no point in alcohol with food.
I always wanted to be as inebriated as possible and food put a stop to it 😐
Sad times.
Recently getting Covid has put me off alcohol completely.
In the first stages when I was very ill alcohol wasn't even a thought.
And now I'm in the end stages of recovery the thought of alcohol turns my stomach.
Intermittent fasting helped me quite a lot too - I have lost 53lbs in the past year with IF and less alcohol.
I haven't been abstinent the whole time - but I'm getting there.
I don't enjoy alcohol anymore.

Free2bme888

Great thoughtful question, wonderful answers here.

I learned a new hobby, crocheting.

Agree-physical activity, good movie or comedy, podcasts, seeing or hearing about drunk people (total reminder not to go there), gratitude gets me out of a funk any time, costs no money and is good brain and soul exercise, coming here, reading, reading, playing word games, cleaning out a junk drawer, giving of oneself to others via visit, phone call, cooking or baking something yummy, a nap, ANYTHING BUT DRINK…

RecklessDrunk

I use to complain, "I'm too full to get a buzz". Especially as a craft beer drinker. I use to consider it artwork to have just the right stomach to facilitate high alcohol, craft beer.

I think part of what many of us actually crave is the spike in blood sugar. When we are actively using all we know is a drink will do.... that thing. Much of what a candy bar will do on an empty stomach.

I've been a yo yo dieter for decades! Intermittent fasting has helped me keep my weight steady and about the lowest in my adult life for a few years now. This is in my mid 40s!


I have found that a good workout gives me much of that ease and comfort that a drink would provide. I actually enjoy driving after a good hard run. Its like the way i use to enjoy the feel of a car after a few beers while I knew I could still pass a breath test. In the later days I usually had enough sense to know when it was time to park the car for the night. Unless it was an emergency like drunk me suddenly needed cocaine.

When I run the buzz stays. I don't need to go right back out and keep banging out miles against a watch. I don't suddenly need cocaine. I haven't gotten arrested as a result of my running. Or hungover. I sleep better and usually feel good in the morning. Even before social events, I seem to enjoy them better if I can get a few miles in before.