Triggers are events or situations to which people react. Often in the case of the sugar addict, those reactions are habits that are both learned and chemically induced. To consciously change your reactions to triggers, you must first identify that you’re reacting to a situation.
Here’s a new drill for you to practice:
Every time you have a craving, stop and ask yourself what you’re reacting to.
Is it hunger? A stressful event? An inconsiderate spouse? Thirst? Loneliness?
Take a moment to figure out what you really want (it’s not sugar).
Ask yourself whether eating sugar is going to give you what you really want.
Use the examples in the following table to help get you started with this self-questioning habit.
| What Happened | What You Want | Reality Check |
|---|---|---|
| You had stressful deadlines at work. | To feel confident that you will get everything done in time | Will eating sugar give you that confidence? |
| You feel hopeless. | Hope | Will eating sugar give you hope? |
| You’re lonely. | Companionship | Will eating sugar give you companionship? |
| You feel fat or unattractive. | To feel better about yourself | Will eating sugar make you feel better about yourself? |
| Something your partner said or did made you feel unhappy or stressed. | To feel reassured and reconnected to your partner | Will eating sugar give you that connection? |
| You’re bored. | Something engaging for your mind | Will eating sugar give you something interesting to do? |
| You feel like your life is out of control. | Peace and personal power | Will eating sugar give you peace and power? |