A study published in Addiction reports that only 43% of people who complete an alcohol treatment program maintain short-term abstinence. Among those who skip formal treatment, that figure drops to 21%. In other words, relapse is common—both with and without treatment.
Does that make treatment pointless?
Does it mean an alcoholic is destined to drink forever?
Absolutely not.
Recovery is possible. You can avoid relapse and stay sober by learning to recognize—and disarm—your triggers.
What Are Alcohol Use Triggers?
Triggers are people, places, events, situations, social cues, or emotions that spark the urge to drink. Giving in to a trigger is often the first step on the path back to relapse.
Why triggers hit differently in recovery:
- Rewired reward pathways: Long-term drinking reshapes the brain’s risk-reward circuits, convincing you that alcohol is the fastest “solution” to discomfort.
- Learned responses: After years of linking stress or social cues with drinking, reaching for alcohol can feel automatic.
- Strained coping skills: Early recovery stretches coping capacity; withdrawal stress makes resisting urges harder and makes tolerance reversal more difficult.
Triggers Are Everywhere
What others find mildly annoying can feel overwhelming to someone in recovery. That’s why you need a plan—not just willpower.
How Not to Yield to Triggers
Know your triggers. Make a plan. Execute it consistently. Start by identifying what sets you off.
Three Main Categories of Drinking Triggers
- Environmental Triggers
People, places, and events tied to past drinking:- Former drinking companions
- Bars, pubs, or even hidden home “spots” where you used to drink
- Parties, reunions, or gatherings where alcohol was common (even if now “dry”)
- Re-Exposure Triggers
Visual and situational cues:- Seeing others drink or having alcohol nearby
- Alcohol ads, TV scenes, social feeds, or displays at stores
- Stress Triggers
Stressors that strain coping:- Negative emotions: fear, anger, anxiety, guilt, shame, hopelessness, depression
- Physical stress: withdrawal discomfort, chronic pain, illness
- Sleep loss: poor sleep weakens self-control and trigger awareness
- Major life changes: divorce, loss, promotions, marriage, new baby—good or bad, big changes can overwhelm
Why Stress Triggers Are Powerful
- Negative Emotions: In recovery you must relearn non-alcohol coping—training the thinking brain to address the problem (not numb it).
- Physical Stress: Fuel healing with nutrition and rest; don’t launch into extreme workouts too soon.
- Sleep Deprivation: Prioritize sleep hygiene—fatigue magnifies urges.
- Big Transitions: Plan support and structure around major changes to prevent “white-knuckle” coping.
Avoiding Triggers (When Possible)
Staying away from cues is the most reliable prevention. Some steps are simple; others require bigger changes:
- Ask family/friends not to drink around you (especially relevant for high-school/college circles).
- If others at home drink, have them store alcohol out of sight.
- Skip meetups with old drinking buddies; ask them not to drop by.
- Don’t visit former drinking spots.
- Change your commute if it passes bars or liquor stores.
- Decline events where alcohol will be served; give a brief, polite reason.
- Audit relationships that fuel conflict—problem-solve together or create distance.
- Assess work/home stressors: long hours, hostile coworkers, triggering neighbors, or a bar next door may need concrete changes.
Get Support
Recovery is a team effort. Build your circle:
- Family and friends who respect boundaries
- Coworkers/teachers/classmates who support your goals
- Therapists and counselors to retrain thoughts and behaviors
- Support groups for accountability, tools, and empathy
Explore Relapse Treatment Methods
Treatment typically combines psychotherapy and medication.
Psychotherapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Identify/anticipate triggers; practice coping skills (walks, reading, music, meditation, movies). Repeated cue exposure rewires automatic responses.
- Contingency Management: Earn tangible rewards (vouchers, tickets) for meeting sobriety targets, teaching the brain that healthy choices pay off.
Medication Therapy
Medications can reduce cravings or make drinking aversive:
- Disulfiram (Antabuse): Produces unpleasant reactions if alcohol is consumed, helping interrupt use.
- Naltrexone (ReVia, Vivitrol): Diminishes cravings/reward from alcohol.
- Acamprosate (Campral): Eases withdrawal-related discomfort and stabilization, lowering relapse risk.
Watch for Early Warning Signs
Relapse is a process, not a single slip. Red flags include:
- Reconnecting with drinking friends
- Avoiding supportive people
- Nostalgic talk about “the good old drinking days”
- Skipping therapy sessions or medications
- Missing support meetings
- “I can handle just one” overconfidence
- Depressive isolation, loneliness, irritability
- Poor stress tolerance in daily hassles
- Neglecting hygiene or hobbies
- Dishonesty, arguing, withdrawal from loved ones
- Return of withdrawal-type symptoms
Myths About Alcohol Relapse
Myth 1: Treatment guarantees lifelong sobriety.
Reality: Like diabetes or hypertension, addiction is chronic. Treatment starts the journey; ongoing care and lifestyle changes sustain it.
Myth 2: Relapse is inevitable because triggers are everywhere.
Reality: Many people—like the 43% who don’t relapse in the short term—stay sober by learning to avoid or neutralize triggers and by sharpening coping skills.
Myth 3: Relapse happens in a single weak moment.
Reality: It’s a chain reaction. Stress → impulsive reaction → guilt/avoidance → isolation → romanticizing alcohol → resumed use. Mindfulness lets you spot and stop the chain early.
Myth 4: Relapse means weak willpower.
Reality: Long-term alcohol use changes brain circuitry. Recovery requires retraining thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors—shame and willpower alone don’t fix neuroadaptations.
Myth 5: You have to do this alone.
Reality: Going solo raises risk. Supportive people, therapy, and groups dramatically improve outcomes.
