One of the biggest challenges to a teen’s long-term recovery from substance use is learning to manage addiction triggers. Even after your teen gets professional help through teen substance abuse services, they’ll need support learning to navigate life in recovery.
Parents who take the time to learn about addiction triggers have a unique advantage. They understand how teen relapse happens and can help a teen stay on track with their recovery.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery offers substance use treatment for teen boys. If your teenager is misusing substances or struggling to handle triggers after completing a treatment program, we can help. Call 866.300.5275 today to learn more about teen addiction treatment at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery.
What Are Addiction Triggers?
A “trigger” is a psychological term used to describe an uncomfortable or unwanted mental, emotional, or physical response to something. Triggers aren’t unique to addiction; they are also associated with other mental health conditions and trauma.
In the context of addiction, a trigger is anything that brings up thoughts of using substances. A trigger can be internal or external. External triggers are observable items. For example, seeing an advertisement for alcohol on television can serve as an external trigger.
Internal triggers are more related to thoughts and feelings. If a teen is accustomed to using substances when they feel lonely, feelings of loneliness can be a trigger in recovery.
Addiction triggers for teens can be serious recovery setbacks. Feeling triggered is often highly uncomfortable, and triggers are often accompanied by an overwhelming desire to use substances.
Dealing with Addiction Triggers at Home
Dealing with addiction triggers is a part of substance use recovery. However, resisting triggers can be harder for teens than for adults. The teenage brain is still developing, particularly the parts related to impulse control and decisions, which are the skills required for effectively handling and resisting addiction triggers.
Parents can help their teens by understanding the dynamics of addiction triggers and how their teens deal with them. Triggers are often unique to the individual. If your adolescent is willing to share, have a conversation or make a list of known and possible triggers.
Knowing what internal and external factors might trigger thoughts of relapse can help you maintain a home environment that supports your teen’s recovery and helps them prepare for when thoughts of substance use occur.
How Treatment Helps Teens Learn to Handle Addiction Triggers
Addiction triggers are just one of the many challenges a teen faces in addiction recovery. Triggers can be hard to resist, and dealing with them takes a mental and emotional toll.
A teen in treatment may prepare to deal with triggers in recovery by identifying the following:
- People, places, and things that might lead to relapse
- Emotions, thoughts, and situations that may be triggering
- Actions or activities that can help a trigger pass
- Safe people who can offer recovery support when the teen is triggered
A teen in treatment receives the support of behavioral health professionals and peers as they create a plan for coping with triggers once treatment ends. By planning to deal with triggers in advance, clients are given the skills to navigate challenging situations and come out on the other side without relapsing.
Foothills at Red Oak Recovery Offers Teen Treatment for Addiction
Professional treatment centers understand the serious problem posed by addiction triggers for teens. Teen treatment for addiction helps set your teen up for success by offering education on why addiction triggers happen and teaching tools to cope with them effectively.
If your adolescent boy is struggling with addiction triggers, additional support can help them find relief. Contact Foothills at Red Oak Recovery at 866.300.5275 today to learn more about getting help for your teen.
