If you or a loved one has recently gotten sober after struggling with opioid use disorder, you may assume the hardest work is behind you. While sobriety is a monumental achievement, you should also be prepared to deal with the challenges of staying sober, navigating triggers, and coping with relapse.
A lapse happens when a person starts using opioids again after a period of sobriety, while a relapse occurs when that person continues to use after the initial lapse. If you or someone you love has relapsed, you’re far from alone — at least 65-70% of opioid users relapse after getting sober.
The statistics around opioid addiction relapse may feel overwhelming, but if the issue hits close to home, it’s wise to arm yourself with the facts — and with the tools to combat relapse. Fortunately, Hennepin County offers resources and care for residents and families dealing with opioid use disorder at any stage.
Below, we’ll talk about how to avoid and tackle triggers to prevent opioid relapse and addiction.
Who is at risk for relapse?
Because addiction of any kind is an ongoing illness, it always comes with an inherent risk of relapse. If you have dealt with opioid use disorder, you are at risk of relapse. However, people who have used opiates intravenously or in high doses can be in slightly more danger of relapsing.
Relapse is often part of the recovery process, so while you shouldn’t get angry at yourself for relapsing, you should understand that you may need to approach your recovery plan differently after a lapse or relapse.
If you or a loved one is at risk of relapsing, you should also be aware that after a period of sobriety, a person’s tolerance for substances goes down. That means that if you relapse at your pre-sobriety opioid dosage, the amount may be enough to cause an overdose.
What are common opioid addiction relapse triggers?
There are generally two types of relapse triggers: Internal triggers related to your own emotions and mental health, and external triggers related to other people, places, and activities. While not all of them will apply to everyone who relapses, the following triggers are very common for people in recovery from opioid use disorder.
Stress is one of the top risk factors for opioid-related relapse. While you may know that a huge, stressful life event can be triggering, you should know that minor daily stress sustained over time can also trigger a relapse. Stress — whether it explodes when you lose a loved one or creeps up as you take on more responsibilities at work — can cause someone with opioid use disorder to crave opioids as a coping mechanism.
Isolation works as a trigger in several ways. Being alone or physically apart from the people and accountability resources that support your recovery can make it easier to use again. However, you can also be in danger if you’re already feeling the urge to use and isolate yourself from your recovery community.
We saw the danger of isolation during the early days of the pandemic when people in recovery couldn’t access their support systems. Overdose deaths spiked as opioid addiction recovery resources became less accessible and people lost the community structures in their lives.
Negative emotions, including boredom, can be a reason people start using opioids in the first place, so feeling them again can trigger the desire to use and tamp down on the complicated feelings. For similar reasons, mental illness itself can be a trigger to use or relapse. Mental conditions, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, psychosis, and personality disorders commonly occur alongside substance abuse disorders.
Spending time in the wrong environment with people associated with your opioid use can be triggering. Continuing relationships with people who are actively using can place you in situations where it would be easy to use again and can bring up memories of your own use. It can also be triggering to spend time with people who don’t understand what you’re dealing with and dismiss the realities of opioid use disorder.
Chronic pain can be a massive trigger for using — it’s physically and mentally taxing in a way that can make relapse seem like a solution. If you’re working through physical pain with a doctor, disclose your opioid use disorder and talk to them about pain management solutions that aren’t addictive.
How to deal with a trigger
You can’t avoid triggers altogether, but you can consider ahead of time which specific circumstances may trigger you to relapse, and you can work with a trusted counselor or therapist to develop a plan for coping when you face those triggers. If you need help connecting with a mental health professional, Hennepin County’s partners offer accessible medical care and support for residents. The search function at fasttrackermn.org is also a reliable resource for finding care tailored to your needs.
In general, taking care of yourself physically and mentally is a great way to head off some significant triggers. Substance abuse recovery professionals use the acronym HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) to represent the conditions that can precipitate a major trigger. If you work to treat your body and mind well with a regular sleep schedule, nutritious food, and mental health care, you can potentially avoid some triggering situations.
It’s also vital to address isolation by building a community of other people pursuing sobriety. Twelve-step and recovery programs — available throughout Hennepin County on a regular basis — can be an excellent resource for surrounding yourself with a supportive community.
Remember: Avoiding triggers and preventing opioid addiction relapse isn’t always entirely possible. Opioid use disorder recovery is a long road, but with the right awareness and resources, you can make it through.
