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SELF CARE
What are triggers
Triggers are people, places, emotions, or situations that can stir cravings or make you more likely to use. Triggers don’t mean you’re failing, they’re a part of change and recovery. The important thing is to notice them early, respond with healthy coping tools, and reach out if needed.
Emotional
- Loneliness, stress, anxiety or feeling low
- Feeling rejected or disconnected
- Boredom or desire for escapism
- Shame, or unresolved trauma
Digital
- Dating or hook-up apps, late night hunting
- Profile pics, invites, scrolling (re-living) past messages
- Words like “PnP”, “Tina”, “G”, “HnH”, or “slamming”
- Porn, and/ or sexualised images
People
- Ex-hook-ups, partners, old chemsex contacts, and dealers
- Friends and friends-of–friends with links to chems
- Family members
Environmental
- Visiting places linked to chems (eg: saunas, hotels, flats)
- Being alone in new or unfamiliar places
- Party or club environments where drugs may be available
Drugs
- Using drugs not directly related to chems (eg: ketamine, alcohol or poppers)
- Visuals, smells and sounds that remind you of past sessions (eg: porn, syringes, dark rooms, music)
Kit and gear
Keeping kit or gear (paraphernalia) and/ or drugs at home can be triggering. You might think that the drugs are out of sight, out of mind. But, all it takes is for you to stumble on what you have stashed away for a trigger to occur.
Feeling horny
Feeling horny can be triggering, especially if you are remembering past chemsex experiences. While you may find sober sex hard, frustrating or boring, whatever it is, ‘sex’ in all senses of the word must be addressed.
Ways to cope with triggers
- Create a relapse prevention plan (eg: with a professional)
- Use apps or blocks to manage online exposure
- Develop positive habits to combat triggers
- Practice grounding or mindfulness when cravings hit
- Have a support contact system, though this can be difficult