March 29

“We may say a prayer to call upon our Higher Power for help, or we may reach out to another addict. Calling someone on the phone, even if no one is there to answer the call, is a powerful act of surrender.”

Sex Addicts Anonymous, page 68

I know some of the things that trigger me, and I can be aware of these triggers and set appropriate boundaries so I’m not exposed to them. For example, I realized it was triggering for me to go to the gym, so I’ve found other ways to exercise. I avoid past acting-out partners and parts of town where I acted out.

Sometimes, I can be triggered by a smell or a sound or a summer day, so I can’t completely isolate myself from all potential triggers. If I sat alone in a dark room, I could still be triggered by fantasies. I’ve realized that, for me, the trigger is in my head.

My defense against triggers is to maintain fit spiritual condition. I need to have close contact with my Higher Power, other recovering addicts, and the SAA program. I need to take care of myself, and I need to practice spiritual principles to the best of my ability in all areas of my life. In other words, I need to live in my outer circle. Then the triggers in my head don’t set off very loud reports.

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Conscious contact and personal contact defend me against triggers—external or internal.