When my surroundings or schedules change – usually by traveling somewhere or during a holiday season or weekend – triggers get stronger. Some boundaries that are generally in place, like Internet filters or TV channel filters, may not be in place in my new surroundings. Idle time is deadly. I’ve heard people say that Christ chose His disciples when they were at work and that Satan chooses his disciples when they are idle.
There can also be family-related triggers around holidays. Making arrangements to call my sponsor and other group members each day while traveling or during a holiday has been essential for me during these times. This is especially the case when traveling home to my family of origin. Many of the issues I had growing up come back to trouble me when I visit the people and places of my youth, it opens old wounds, and I start wanting to numb those negative feelings through the addiction. So I need to set bigger and stronger boundaries to keep me safe and plan my time so I’m not escaping for hours or sitting around idle. The holidays often include vast quantities of food, so I often engage in gluttony, which can lead me to escape. I heard once that the food and sex-related areas of the brain are next to each other, so binging in one of those areas can affect binging in the other.
Unstructured time also seems to be a trigger. I need to have a purpose and a schedule when there’s nothing on my schedule. This could be during holidays, or even on weekends, or during breaks from school or work.
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