When you have suffered from alcohol or substance abuse, the road to recovery may prove to be challenging especially in the beginning. You will surely be faced with lots of difficult situations that may cause you stress and anxiety. Learn to handle these factors for you to be able to fully recover from your addiction by keeping in mind some of the most useful tips listed below.
Avoid triggers
One of the primary things that you can do to make your recovery less stressful and easier to handle is to avoid the triggers that may cause you to relapse later on. Some of these triggers or high-risk situations are encompassed in the acronym HALT that stands for hunger, anger, loneliness, as well as tiredness. In this case, what you can do is to never permit yourself to be hungry, learn to deal with your anger, spend time with other people to ease your loneliness, and rest when you are tired.
Learn to relax
Another thing that you can do to make your addiction recovery less stressful is to learn how to relax. In this case, it is a good idea to take a moment before you respond to any situation. When you feel rushed in making a decision, you will feel more anxious and triggered. In this case, what you can do is try and practice mindfulness and meditation because it will teach you how to calm down in the event of highly stressful scenarios.
Create a routine
It is also a good idea for you to create a routine that you can stick to every day. This is one of the keys for you to be able to maintain sobriety and avoid relapsing. With a routine, you will be able to limit your idle time as the things you need to do to keep you busy are already planned out. Just keep in mind to fill your to-do list with achievable goals that will allow you to be proud of your accomplishments at the end of the day rather than being frustrated with what you fail to accomplish.
Exercise
Make sure to have the time to exercise each day because this can also help you make your addiction recovery less stressful. The endorphins that your body releases when you exercise can help you significantly when it comes to feeling good and staying positive. For you to be able to consistently adhere to an exercise routine, choose one that you enjoy doing such as running outdoors or biking.
Be mindful of what you eat
You should also be mindful of what you eat while you are recovering because what you put inside your body can affect the rate and effectiveness of your recovery. The healthcare professionals behind RecoveryDelivered.com suggest that you can even consider the use of supplements if you deem necessary, provided that these supplements are recommended by your doctors or therapists. Keep in mind that when you feed yourself whole and healthy foods, you will be physically stronger to combat the stress that is brought about by addiction recovery.
Spend time with family and friends
There is also the option for you to spend quality time with your family and friends to help you fully recover from your addiction. This is the best time for you to mend broken relationships or strengthen your ties with the people who matter the most to you. Rest assured that your family and friends will always be there to support you every step of the way.
Establish a sober support network
You can also try and establish a sober support network that will be able to help and guide you towards your journey to recovery. When you have a support network, you will not feel like you have to undergo this process alone. However, for you to be able to find people who will be able to support you towards your recovery, you have to be open in building new relationships with trustworthy and reliable people who will be there for you whenever you need them.
Regularly catch up with your therapist
It is also important for you to regularly catch up with your therapist because they are the ones in the best position to help you with your addiction recovery. Keep in mind that it will be less of a struggle if you can talk to someone you trust about triggers or issues that may affect your journey towards recovery. In this case, to prevent any possibility of relapse, make sure to be open to your therapist or counselor about your experiences and your struggles. Rest assured that they will be able to help you deal even with the most difficult emotions and come up with the most appropriate actions.
Write a journal
Finally, make it a habit to practice gratitude each day because in doing so, you will be able to see things from a different perspective. This will also allow you to see the positive side of every situation. To help you begin this attitude or mindset, you can write a journal that reflects what you are thankful for each day. You can even include the situations or experiences that you have encountered and detail how you were able to handle them, or what you plan to do to be able to deal with them. Your journal can even serve as your inspiration in the future because when you read it, you will have a good idea of how far you have come in your journey.
To make your recovery less stressful and easier to handle, some of the things that you can do include avoiding triggers as well as learning how to relax. You can also try creating a routine that includes exercise or be mindful of what you eat. It is also a good idea to spend time with your family and friends, establish a sober support network, as well as regularly catch up with your therapist. There is also the option for you to practice gratitude by writing a journal. All these are meant to help you cope with the stress that is brought about by addiction recovery.