One of the main reasons people relapse after recovery from drug or alcohol addiction is stress. If you have financial, legal or family troubles now because of choices you made while in the grip of addiction, this is especially true, but anyone can feel overwhelmed by the stress that comes with daily life. It’s extremely important when you’re in treatment for drug or alcohol addiction to develop tools and methods for you to handle your stress without the substance you once would have turned to for relief, and while it may be easier to feel less stress in treatment, everyday life isn’t always so easy going. If you developed those tools right, you’ll have some of what you need already to fight back against stress instead of caving in and relapsing, but there are other steps you can take to manage your stress.
If you started working on a healthier lifestyle while you were in treatment, that’s a great way to start dealing with your stress the right way. Instead of turning to a drink or even other unhealthy habits, like smoking or poor diet, go for a walk with your kids or a friend, take your dog to the park or even just do some work around the yard, anything to get your blood going. It’ll release your body’s own feel-good chemicals, and you’ll find yourself feeling triumphant for having been productive AND conquering your stress and triggers in one fell swoop. Bonus points if you eat right; the better your diet, the better prepared your body is to deal with stress.
Another easy way to manage your stress is to just keep things in perspective. For the most part, the things that stress us every day will eventually be worked out to the best possible outcome, but only if we keep everything in perspective and work to stay positive. The world will not end if small things go wrong, and all is not lost even if something major doesn’t go well. Once, these feelings could have driven you straight into drug or alcohol use, but now that you’re able to keep a perspective on life, you’re able to see that things will be okay if you just work to make the right choices, including staying sober.
Managing your stress is one of the most important things you learn in treatment for addiction, and if you’re in a program that’s not fit to your needs and your life, you may not address everything you need to. At The Springboard Center, the residential and outpatient treatment plans are custom fit to you and what you truly need to have a lasting recovery. Don’t wait another day if you’re struggling to overcome your addiction, call today and get help: 432-620-0255.
