David Stuart

Chems use & cravings are very much about Association, and Habit.

If your chems habit is associated with home-city life & routine, then your cravings are likely to be stronger WHEN at home and in your routine.

Many people find that they struggle with discipline in London; yet when away from Home City, eg visiting family or even on a big gay holiday, they have absolute will power and discipline regarding chems.

It is the return home that can be extremely triggering.

In fact, it's called the Jetset Trigger (regardless whethger it's a plaaine journey, car, train or public transport.

The anticipation of, and the actual journey back to home and to routine - to the scene of the crime so to speak - can be extremely triggering.

It's a thing.

It's about the Association. Associating chems use with home, routine, and all that goes with it.

So.

Be prepared, when returning home from a trip.

Here's how I can help.

Will you add a reminder in your diary; to email me at various points on your homeward journey.

Your brain will trick you, it’ll say “I’ve been well-behaved, I deserve a treat”, it’ll say “I was doing drama last month, my problem ain’t all that bad”; it’ll say “it’ll be different this time, just a quick one”…

So the idea of Jetset trigger is to email me so you are freshly reminded (and affirmed) of your goals, and the reasons your goals are important to you. Do this ahead of, during and after the homeward journey; at both airports, on the tube ride home.

When you email, tell me your chems goal for the week ahead, and why it's important to you. Tell me you are anticipating cravings, that you are prepared for them, won't be surprised or taken off-guard by them. Assure me you have craving management skills, ones that have worked for you before. Think ahead, think through every step of the journey home; visualise key in the door, opening of suitcase, cold house, cold bedroom. Visualise making home lovely and warm, visualise & anticipate going to bed with a smile on your face, happily putting the journey & holiday to bed.

PLAN something for the following day; don’t have blocks of time vacant that temptation can grab you. Visualise the next morning, the following day, evening, going to bed again happy.

This is important stuff.

These are the lapses that can take us by surprise the most.

So; Jetset trigger; in your diary.

Email me the step by step home return right up to the plans for the following day.

And have a lovely trip.