Understanding Triggers and Cravings: Counselor Education Webinar

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### Summary #### Introduction - Presenter: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes - Topic: Understanding triggers and cravings - Goals: Define triggers and cravings, identify personal triggers, and discuss coping methods #### Defining Triggers and Cravings - **Triggers**: Anything prompting a rewarding or survival response.  - Examples: Touch (hot stove), sounds (alarm clock), sights (child's smile), smells (fall air), places (dentist's office), people (reminding you of someone), situations (new job). - **Cravings**: Repetitive, consuming thoughts or desires caused by triggers.  - Example: Food commercials triggering hunger at night. #### Components of Triggers 1. **Sensory Awareness**:   - Body perceives a stimulus and sends it to the brain.   - Brain retrieves a schema to interpret and respond to the stimulus.   - Neurochemical release depending on the schema (fight or flight, pleasure). 2. **Cognitive Awareness**:   - Includes flashbacks and intrusive thoughts.   - Brain determines how to handle the situation based on past experiences. 3. **Systemic Awareness**:   - Body notices imbalances (blood sugar, dopamine levels).   - Brain looks for past coping mechanisms to address the imbalance. #### Coping with Triggers and Cravings 1. **Identify Personal Triggers**:   - Recognize triggers for specific feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.   - Example: Hunger, tiredness, environmental factors (places, times of day). 2. **Developing Awareness**:   - Be mindful of surroundings and internal states.   - Journal recent triggers and analyze early warning signs. 3. **Increase Positive Triggers**:   - Enhance the environment with positive stimuli (pictures, smells, music). 4. **Addressing Negative Triggers**:   - Reduce or manage negative triggers (broken locks, unsafe situations).   - Use coping strategies like deep breathing, meditation, exercise. #### Practical Strategies 1. **Four Square Breathing**:    - Trigger relaxation response by deep breathing. 2. **Loving Kindness Meditation**:   - Reduce stress response by fostering positive emotions. 3. **Increase Physical Safety**:   - Modify environment to reduce stress (mirrors, locked doors). 4. **Address Comfort and Ergonomics**:   - Improve physical comfort to enhance mood and focus. 5. **Build Positive Relationships**:   - Use assertive communication and manage boundaries to feel secure. 6. **Recondition Responses**:   - Change associations with negative triggers (e.g., payday as positive).   - Make triggers more unpleasant if necessary (e.g., Antabuse for alcohol). 7. **Mindfulness and Journaling**:   - Reflect on triggers and responses to understand and manage them better. #### Handling Cravings 1. **Stop, Look, Listen, and Feel**:   - Recognize cravings as clues to unmet needs. 2. **Alternative Actions**:   - Identify what is truly needed and find healthier ways to fulfill that need. 3. **Dealing with Persistent Cravings**:   - Understand cravings as similar to a child's tantrum; resisting strengthens resolve. ### Time Codes for Major Points 00:00 Introduction and goals of the video 02:00 Definition and examples of triggers 06:30 Components of triggers (sensory, cognitive, systemic) 10:45 Understanding cravings and their impact 15:30 Identifying personal triggers and increasing awareness 20:00 Developing positive triggers and addressing negative ones 25:45 Practical strategies for coping with triggers 30:00 Handling cravings and alternative actions 35:00 Reflecting on personal experiences and journaling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices