Stress is one of the biggest triggers of relapse. Feeling besieged and overwhelmed can tempt you to fall back into old ways of coping. That’s why managing stress is one of the most important skills to learn in recovery. Here are some ways to keep stress from ruining your sobriety.
Change your thinking.
Often, the problem is not the problem but rather the way we think about it. One of the great strengths of cognitive behavioral therapy is that it helps you learn to keep problems in perspective. However, it’s much easier to reframe problems while sitting in your therapist’s office than when the problem is staring you in the face. When you’re feeling stressed about something, take a deep breath and examine your assumptions. If you made a mistake at work, is it really going to get you fired? If it does get you fired, will you really become homeless and destitute? Probably not. Most of what we fear will be catastrophic turns out to be merely inconvenient.
Spend time with friends and family.
Quality social time is one of the best ways to reduce stress. Make time to see your friends and family. Make sure you’re spending most of your time with positive people who support you and will listen to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Most people find that just having people they can rely on makes them feel calmer, even if they don’t ask for help.
Exercise.
Exercise has many benefits for your mind and body. One of the major benefits is that it reduces stress and the harmful effects of stress on your body. It releases endorphins that improve your mood in increases blood flow to your brain. It increases levels of the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin and improves your focus and self-control. It also reduces your resting heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure, making you both healthier and calmer.
Meditate.
There are many kinds of meditation, and most of them have been shown to reduce stress. Mindfulness meditation is most popular. It trains you to notice what’s going on in your head and how it affects what’s going on in your body. You become more aware of tension and better able to let it go.
Keep a journal.
Journaling helps reduce stress on several levels. One one level, it helps you to organize your thoughts. Getting them on paper and out of your head helps reduce stressful rumination. Often you’ll find after you write down what you’re worried about, your problems don’t actually look that bad. On another level, writing down thoughts and events helps you spot patterns in your life. Having a record of what works and what doesn’t can help you live smarter.
Get enough sleep.
Getting enough sleep is one of the best things you can do for yourself and one of the most potent ways to reduce stress. Even a mild sleep deficit can increase anxiety and rumination. Even worse, it hurts your concentration, self-control, and executive function, making you more prone to mistakes and bad decisions. Getting enough sleep will reduce your stress and let you handle problems more effectively.
Make time to relax.
Stress accumulates throughout the day. Take a few minutes every hour or so to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, or maybe take a short walk outside. At the end of the day, take a little time to wind down and decompress before bed. Consciously relaxing will give you more energy for the next day.
If you’re struggling with substance use, Recovery Ways can help. We offer intensive outpatient treatment as well as residential treatment. Recovery Ways is a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our mission is to provide the most cost-effective, accessible substance abuse treatment to as many people as possible. Request information online or call us today at 1-888-986-7848.
