Dealing with an addiction of any kind can be difficult to handle for both the individual involved and their family members and friends. Seeking help through a professional rehab center is the ideal way to overcome and beat an addiction, but overcoming the actual stress involved can make the whole process go a lot smoother. In fact, many people will relapse due to the stress in their life both before, during and even after recovery. Managing this stress and relieving it using safe methods can help the recovery process to go more smoothly and to have a more positive effect on your life.
1. Therapy and Group Therapy
In many cases, it’s good to just be able to talk to someone and get a different perspective about a specific situation. Therapists and group therapy sessions enable you to accomplish just this technique of stress management. You will be able to tell someone or multiple people what is on your mind, and they can either be just the listening ear that you need or give you advice or a fresh perspective on the entire situation. Therapy is an ideal way for you to get stress relief during recovery, and it should also be done after you leave the rehab center.
2. Meditation
Meditation is an ancient practice of calming the mind, clearing thoughts from the head and relaxing the entire body. Many people feel that meditation is an absolutely wonderful way to relieve stress and to gain a fresh outlook on life through more relaxed eyes. In many instances, people with addiction problems use the drug or alcohol to relieve other stresses in their life. One way to manage this stress during and after recovery is to meditate regularly by practicing deep breathing techniques and trying your best to just clear your mind of all thoughts and focus solely on your breath.
3. Exercise
Exercise is another wonderful stress reliever in your life while you are going through recovery. The reason exercise is a great option for you is because any time you workout, your body is releasing endorphins that help to give you that feel-good feeling that you may not necessarily be used to. In fact, many people have said that this feeling is very similar to their addiction, but it is a lot healthier for you now and long-term. Exercise doesn’t have to be extensive or rough, since even a 10 minute walk or jog can clear your mind and have you feeling good. If nothing else, working out takes your mind away from other thoughts and focuses it on how your body is feeling during the workout.
4. Having Supportive Family and Friends
When you have supportive loved ones, it’s easier to go through recovery in a more stress-free manner. If you’re having issues with current family members or friends, you might want to consider sitting down and asking them to be more supportive of you. The rehab center can also help to set up counseling for you and your loved ones to mend the broken relationship. When you have close loved ones who you can go to, it’ll make life just a little easier for you and a little more stress-free.
5. Writing
During recovery, you are probably going to face a lot of thoughts and feelings that you’ve never had to deal with before in the past. Some of these thoughts might be ones that you’d rather just jot down yourself rather than wait to tell your therapist, and this is the exact reason why utilizing a journal can be helpful when you’re in recovery. Writing down what you’re feeling and thinking can help you to see these things out on paper, and it might make you feel differently about the whole situation.
Going through recovery is a very smart and bold way to overcome an addiction. The key is to make sure that you are free of stress so that recovery is easier for you in the long run. You can also ask for more tips and helpful ideas by asking the experts in the rehab center what they think is best for you.
