What is an "internal trigger" for behavioral addiction?

What is an "internal trigger" for behavioral addiction?

Marc Kern (Addiction Expert, Director of Addiction Alternatives) gives expert video advice on: How can time be a trigger for behavioral addiction?; Will I ever be cured of my behavioral addiction?; What skills do I need for a successful recovery from behavioral addiction? and more...

Internal triggers are anything, such as a thought or a feeling, that resides primarily inside, that is associated with these addictive behaviors of some type. For example, let's say I felt depressed today. That might be an association that when I feel depressed, I go and I gamble to lift my spirits out of the doldrums. Or I might feel lonely, and when I feel lonely I'm going to go look for someone to pick up and maybe have sex with or maybe get into some sort of relationship. Anything inside or a memory of a time and a place that has once been solved through your addictive behavior can surface as a trigger. These are not something that happen through one involvement with this internal or external trigger, but rather a repetition of "When I feel this, I do this; and it makes it feel better."