Journalists have a challenging job. When news arises—as it constantly does on the local, regional, national, and international level—reporters spring into action in order to understand what has happened and then to explain it to readers or viewers who need to know about it.
Fortunately, there is a set of questions that can help a reporter make sense of an event. Those questions are sometimes called “Five Ws And an H,” and you likely have a good sense of what they are:
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
- How?
Addressing each of those questions helps reporters clearly explain a topic. The same questions can also serve as a way to think about triggers when you are in recovery from a substance use disorder.
What Are Triggers in Recovery?
A person in recovery is often well-served by avoiding “triggers”—people, places, objects, or situations—that may cause cravings for the drugs or alcohol they have worked so hard to leave behind. Identifying your personal triggers in advance can help you avoid them so that cravings are less likely to arise.
You can use the reporter’s six questions to make a list of potential triggers for yourself.
Who Do You Connect With Your Substance Use?
The person or people who made drugs available to you and the people you spent time with while you were under the influence of one substance or another are probably the folks who come immediately to mind when you start to think about who is connected to your substance use.
But there are likely some less obvious people to identify, too. For example, who are the people who always seemed to be criticizing you or with whom you often argued? Who do you associate with emotions that might have had a role to play in your substance use? Be sure to consider your online community, too, because social media and the like can amplify conflict and inspire challenging emotions.
Once you have a list of people, it is a good idea to limit or even wholly eliminate your connections to those individuals.
What Do You Connect With Your Substance Use?
Are there certain songs or kinds of music you associate with drug or alcohol use? What about clothes that remind you of times you spent using substances? Are there objects that were part of your drug use routine? Your best move in each of these cases and others like them is to get rid of them entirely.
When Are You Most Likely to Think About Substance Use?
Maybe you consumed drugs or alcohol on a sort of regular schedule—and now those times of day are problematic because your thoughts tend to drift toward those moments in the past. It might be a good idea to schedule engaging activities—hobbies, exercise, meeting up with good friends—around those times to keep your mind from wandering off in unhelpful directions.
Where Were You Using Drugs or Alcohol?
If you were a regular at a bar or tended to go to a certain house or attended a regular party to use drugs or alcohol, you are going to want to stop going to those places, of course. It can be trickier if you were in the habit of using substances in your home, your car, or your office. These places are likely to remain in your life, so it is important to reframe them. Redecorating your office or trading in your car for something different can be good first steps.
Why Were You Using Drugs or Alcohol?
This is probably going to be the most difficult of the questions to answer. In fact, it might be helpful to take this question up in therapy (we should note that all of the questions we are highlighting could—and maybe should—come up in therapy). Seeing a therapist is important because mental health disorders are frequently entangled with substance use disorders—in fact, they can even be the “why” you are trying to suss out.
Even more important than defining the “why” of your substance use is leaning into your new “why.” Why are you working so hard on recovery? Because it gives you the opportunity to build a better life for yourself and those you love.
How Were You Using Drugs or Alcohol?
In addition to the physical acts required to use substances of one kind or another, you may have had a reliable set of distractions or a few good lies that you could employ to keep others from catching on to your ongoing problem. Obviously, you want to leave those things behind. You are better served by replacing them with a system for holding yourself accountable and for telling the truth when you are struggling and need help.
We Are the Answer to the Question of Recovery
Located near Wichita, Kansas, Bel Aire Recovery Center is ready and able to help individuals struggling with a substance use disorder, as well as with any mental health disorder that may accompany it. Our treatment plans are personalized to meet your specific needs and are built on evidence-based practices, our years of experience and high level of expertise, and our commitment to empathy. If you have a problem with drugs or alcohol, we can help you reclaim your life.
