How to Minimize Triggers at Home
Whether you are working through an outpatient substance use program or living in a residential treatment facility, your home environment can be a triggering space if you do not pay it the proper attention . Healing and recovering from a substance use disorder means implementing the lessons and coping skills learned during treatment to successfully choose a different path when triggers to use substances arise. This is especially important if you live with another person who uses or struggles with substances, or if your home has historically been a preferred space to use substances.
You can transform your home into a place for healing and sobriety by starting with four key changes to your living environment:
- Keeping it clean: A chaotic or messy home can make you feel unstable or unable to relax. On the other hand, a clean, organized home can contribute to feelings of balance and a commitment to making positive choices. Tend to your home environment by tidying up regularly, adding plants or other soothing visual elements to your space, and maintaining access to healthy, enjoyable activities in your home.
- Sticking to a routine: Triggers for substance use can arise in chaotic or stressful times, but they may also influence you during idle time. Properly tending to your home and your health takes time and effort, and you can reduce the temptation caused by boredom or idleness by busying yourself with housekeeping, cooking, exercise, and other healthy, constructive activities in the home. It is also particularly important to decide in advance how you will spend your free time in the evenings and what time you will go to bed. Following a schedule can help you maximize your free time and reduce your risk of falling back into unhealthy habits. You can even post your schedule or to-do list in a visible space as a frame of reference when your routine falls out of balance.
- Minimizing stress: Stress is hard enough to manage without the added difficulty of managing a substance use disorder, but it can be even more difficult for people who are in recovery. While there is no such thing as a completely stress-free life, avoiding stressful situations is essential when seeking to remain sober at home. If your relationships with your spouse or children are a source of significant stress, consider incorporating counseling [LINK TO FAMILY THERAPY BLOG] into your routine or taking steps to learn to approach conflict more constructively. If your roommates stress you out, consider having an honest conversation about what you’re going through and how they can help, or think about finding a supportive place to go when things become overwhelming.
- Keeping Inspiration Visible: When triggers arise, it is vital to remember why you are taking steps toward healing and recovery. Keep reminders of your reasons for changing your behavior visible in your home environment. Think of quotes, photos, or affirmations that resonate with you, and display them throughout your home to support you in difficult moments.
Overcome Unhealthy Substance Use with Therapeutic Solutions
When seeking to overcome a substance use disorder, it can be disheartening to battle temptation day in and day out—but don’t give up. Healing is possible, and we are here to help.
At Therapeutic Solutions, we offer substance abuse therapy for people throughout Chico and Northern California. We can help you address the mental, physical, and environmental stressors and temptations you face and work with you to find ways to develop healthy coping skills and resources that support recovery. Our compassionate, understanding clinicians can help you evaluate patterns leading to substance use and help you figure out what can be done to get well, stay well, and be well.
Get started today by calling (530) 899-3150 or requesting a free program assessment.
