Experience with the Cocaine Trigger Inventory

Abstract

A cocaine trigger inventory, developed to help cocaine dependent patients identify cues which precipitate cocaine hunger was administered to a group of hospitalized cocaine addicts. Groups of similar cues ("situations") were ranked according to the difficulties created. The four most highly ranked situations were "People, Places and Things," "Work Situations," "Celebrations," and "Cocaine Focus." Two situations assumed to be very problematic by producing cocaine hunger ("Mood states" and "Romance"), proved not to be so. Possible explanations for this discrepancy and strategies for coping with cocaine hunger are offered.