# Tools to Overcome Common Triggers

> What is a drinking trigger    Triggers are the instigating eventexperience that sets a habit loop in motion A drinking trigger specifically results in a de

Source: https://help.sunnyside.co/en_us/tools-to-overcome-common-triggers-Sy5o0KJ3

Last updated: 2025-06-13T19:37:28.964Z

This article was reviewed by Kate Bonham MS, LPCC, LADC - Mental Health and Chemical Specialist

  

What is a drinking trigger?

  

A trigger is an instigating event or experience that sets a habit loop in motion. A drinking trigger, specifically, results in a desire or craving to drink. Alcohol cravings can be triggered by a number of things including time of day, environment, and emotional stressors. When a craving is triggered, your response might be to have a drink, exercise, write in a journal or maybe text your Sunnyside coach. Learning to consciously respond to triggers instead of responding to them on autopilot can greatly improve the results of your mindful drinking journey. Let’s explore some common drinking triggers and ways to combat them. 

  

Habit Triggers

  

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Many Sunnyside members find they drink out of habit and not because they really feel they need the drink. It might be as simple as the clock striking 5:00 pm and the urge to pour a glass of wine arises. To break a habit one should first understand how habits are formed. Habits are formed in four phases of a cycle; Trigger, craving, response, and reward. When our brain learns that a certain response gets a positive reward, it will push us to respond that way every time we are triggered. If, for example, someone drinks because they are triggered by emotional stress and feel-good chemicals, are released, the next time emotional stress is experienced the brain will remember that alcohol ‘helped’ in the past. Habits are formed because they are easy, attractive, attainable, and rewarding. So how do you stop the loop? James Clear discusses breaking habits in Atomic Habits. His four rules for breaking a habit you don’t want to keep are

  

*   Make it difficult
    
*   Make it unattractive
    
*   Make it invisible
    
*   Make it unsatisfying
    

  

How to break habitual drinking using Clear’s four phases in Atomic Habits

  

Make it Invisible

*   remove alcohol from sight 
    
*   plan another distracting and healthy activity to make habit instead
    

Make it difficult

*   make alcohol hard to find, pour, or drink in your location
    

Make it unattractive

  

*   Consider over-drinking’s long term effects on physical and emotional wellness
    

Make it unsatisfying

*   Think about how alcohol deters you from your overall wellness goals
    

Environment Triggers

  

Some sunnyside members find they are triggered by certain things in their environment which can be anything from seeing their wine bottles on the counter to memories of lost loved ones that make them sad. Curating your environment can help combat environmental triggers. If there are things in your environment that trigger your cravings you should trim those from your day-to-day as much as possible. In addition, improving your environment can also lessen triggers, such as having hobby items easily accessible like art supplies, replacing wine bottles on the counter with freshly cut flowers, or stocking your fridge with sparkling water. 

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Some ways to curate your environment for mindfulness include 

*   Not keeping alcohol in the house 
    
*   Redecorating or rearranging the furniture
    
*   Reorganizing your items/decluttering your space 
    
*   Putting workout equipment where you can see it
    
*   Leaving notes for yourself to remind yourself of your goals
    
*   Limiting time with people who upset you 
    
*   Increasing time spent with people who support you and nourish you 
    
*   Increasing time spent doing what makes you happy
    
*   Timeboxing the time you spend thinking about work or other people’s problems
    
*   Making deliberate time for self-care.
    

  

You won’t be able to control every single part of your environment all the time but making sure you do the best you can when you can boosts your chances of success on your mindfulness journey. 

  

Emotional Triggers

Emotional triggers are a common cue to drink for Sunnyside members and alcohol drinkers in general. Processing emotions is the best way to combat emotional triggers. Coping with alcohol and not addressing the root cause can worsen emotional situations and move you further from your mindful drinking goals. People process emotions in many different ways; journaling about their feelings, talking to friends or therapists about their experiences, removing the stressors from their lives or reducing exposure, and many other options.

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Here are some suggestions for combating emotional triggers. 

Journaling on Emotional Triggers

Freewriting around emotions can help you work through them. Here are some free-writing prompts to help you process in the moment. 

*   What are you feeling emotionally right now? How does that emotion affect you physically?
    
*   What are some ways you can cheer yourself up right now? (Science suggests sunlight for a boost serotonin or your favorite hobby for a shot of dopamine). 
    
*   If you could speak to the person you’d like to speak with, uninterrupted, write what you’d say (as many times as you need to). 
    
*   What are some ways you can handle these emotions well in this moment so that you feel good tomorrow? 
    
*   Brainstorm what it would look like if you shifted your focus to self-care right now?
    
*   Describe paradise for you right now? What does it look like, smell like and sound like? 
    

  

Calming Exercises

When feeling stressed, angry or anxious, it can help to calm down a bit to make sure you’re thinking clearly about your next steps. Calming down in times of high emotion is easier said than done. Here are some exercises you can do to calm yourself down in the moment. 

*   Breathing exercises
    
    *   Concentrating on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth has a proven calming effect. 557 is a popular technique involving inhaling for five seconds, holding that breath for another five and then exhaling for seven. Repeat as many times as needed.
        
*   Listening to music 
    
    *   Many people find instrumental music relaxing, such as classical or smooth jazz. There are certain genres like chillhop or lo-fi music that are designed for studying, working or hanging out. 
        
*   Active relaxation 
    
    *   Yoga and pilates are full-body exercises that are popular for relaxation, especially in communities centered around mindfulness. 
        
*   Visualization Exercises
    
    *   It can help to zone out and picture your favorite place like the beach, your favorite hiking trail, or your most memorable camping view.
        
*   Art
    
    *   Art is such a great way to destress there is an arm of therapy based on it. Strong emotions can be processed through many artistic endeavors like painting, drawing, dancing, or sculpting and crafting. Explore different artistic outlets to see what helps you reach peace of mind in stressful times.
        
*   Guided Relaxation
    
    *   A guided meditation via a podcast or e-book might be just the thing to calm you down when you’re feeling tense. Try allowing professionals to lead you out of tough places and into a better headspace.
        

  

What’s Next?

Learning to overcome your triggers can take time so be patient with yourself. It’s okay to talk to your health team about strategies for your specific triggers or to dive deeper with your Sunnyside coach. We’re here for you!  
  
  
This article was reviewed by Kate Bonham