Nicholas Atanasoff Psychiatrist: Common Relapse Triggers

1. Nicholas Atanasoff Psychiatrist: Common Relapse Triggers Dr. Nicholas Anthony Atanasoff understands that a common misconception about drug and alcohol addiction recovery is that once a patient completes a treatment program or gets clean, they have recovered. However, recovery is not a one-time accomplishment, reminds psychiatrist Nicolas Anthony Atanasoff. Relapses often happen suddenly and are usually brought on by an event, interaction, or relationship that causes an addict to justify using again. Triggers generally fall into one of three categories: emotional, environmental or exposure and identifying your individual triggers is an important step is preventing a relapse. In addition, triggers are often based off old routines or memories, so they differ for each person. Some common triggers include: Negative emotions that stimulate drug-seeking behaviours (e.g., stress, anger, fear, frustration, guilt, anxiety, depression, and/or loneliness) Friends, locations, or events that remind the addict of using Exposure to drugs or alcohol Seeing or sensing an object of addiction (e.g., seeing a syringe or watching a beer commercial) Social pressures to use Positive emotional states (i.e., having fun and wanting to feel even better) Using other substances (e.g. a recovering heroin addict who continues to drink alcohol is at a higher risk of relapse) "Addiction recovery is an on-going journey and one that is not without its fair share of speed bumps along the way," Dr. Nicholas Anthony Atanasoff cautions.