Perrry Morgan says cash is his trigger.
“The temptation is just too great when you get that amount of money practically put in your back pocket. It is enough to tempt you to go back on the booze… It is easy to slide back when you are a recovering alcoholic, but if you don’t have access to that sort of money it makes it easier.”
I understand the necessity of avoiding triggers, especially in early sobriety, but just as alcoholism is a progressive disease- an effective recovery must also be a process that moves continuously forward. Cash is not what causes Mr. Morgan to drink, it is his disease. Realistically, we can’t get away from triggers- for me they were relationships, money, work, school, friends and family- maybe I could have become a monk, then again religion was also a trigger. The fact is that life is full of triggers and the only sure fire way to resist them is not avoidance, but instead facing them down and learning to live with them safely through a strong recovery.
I am not advocating heading out to the local bar or urging an intimate conversation with your dealer to test the mettle of your sobriety, only suggesting that a strong recovery program can keep you out of the line of fire… because triggers aren’t dangerous unless you’re standing in front of the gun.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes, the idea of triggers is a bit off in my opinion as well….if you want to know how to deal with your triggers, then you need to take the approach of “how can I live my best life in recovery? How can I make my recovery stronger?”
It is ridiculous to think that you should identify your triggers and then work out a unique strategy for avoiding or dealing with each one. Instead, I would encourage someone who is concerned with triggers to get busy on working the best recovery program that they possibly can, and focus on their own personal growth and self esteem.
If someone is living a good recovery and they value their life highly (self esteem) then this is what will protect them against relapse in the end….not a preplanned strategy for overcoming a specific trigger.
avasive maneuvers may be necessary for those in early sobriety, but we both know that recovery involves a lot more than just not drinking.
When I first started exploring the idea of sobriety through AA, there was a 7.30 am meeting I’d attend regularly. One of the chairpersons was a woman with 20+ years. Her favorite saying was “Cut the BS and get real: You drink because you’re alcoholic!”
That idea saved my butt on MANY occasions in early sobriety when things were spinning out of my control. It has kept me mindful of the real nature of my problem, since.
I’ve had the pleasure of thanking Joyce for her wisdom.
Another good one is the classic quote from the Big Book: “Job or no job, wife or no wife…..”
we did not stop drinking as we placed dependence upon other (things)…
It’s our recovery, gotta take ownership.