Step 3A: Identifying Your Top Triggers
With a little behavioral detective work, one of our members, Andrew, determined that his financial woes were commonly preceded by three events: cashing his paycheck (“and feeling that wad of money”), taking money out of an ATM (“not much good just sitting there”), and going out for a night on a town with friends. By completing the following exercises and worksheets, Andrew began to understand what triggered the retreat into his old behaviors. Then he could anticipate and usually avoid those instigators that led him to squander his money.
Let’s start by identifying your triggers. Ask yourself the 4 W’s of newspaper writing: Where (in what locations and circumstances), what (activities, feelings, thoughts), when (time of day or before or after a particular event), and who (people supporting or accompanying the old behavior or those that trigger stress). For Andrew, the where’s were out with friends, the what’s were happy and unplanned times, the when’s were after receiving his paycheck and late at night, and the who’s were a particular set of wealthy, single friends who could afford a $200 Friday or Saturday bar tab.
Ask yourself these kinds of questions, observe your behavior, and become aware of your own high-risk situations. The results will inform an internal, red-alert emergency system that will set off when you are in these danger zones.
We can practice this process by constructing a worksheet to identify your high-risk situations. Take a few moments to write these down, according to the following list of 4 W’s, to evaluate your own high-risk scenarios. Record those situations that trigger your temptations; the entries below are mere suggestions to get you started.
Beware: Danger Lurks Here
1) Where (in what locations and circumstances, easy access to the old behavior): ________________________
Examples: Bar, bakery, smoke shop, shopping mall; Inactive, sedentary or bored; After a fine dinner
2) What (activities, feelings, thoughts): ___________________________
Examples: Feeling stressed or sad; Happy and celebrating; Struggling with your own cravings and temptations; Thinking “I can’t do this,” “It’s beyond my control.”
3) When (time of day or before or after a particular event): __________________________
Examples: Alone and feeling tired; After a long day and “needing” to unwind
4) Who (people supporting or accompanying the old behavior or those folks triggering stress): ________________________
Examples: Conflicts with other people; Social influences (friends who invite you to smoke, drink, spend, overeat, etc.)
After completing this worksheet, post it in a conspicuous place where you can regularly consult it. Consider sharing it with a friend or a loved one and perhaps your change team.