Stress is a constant for everyone, but it can be especially demanding on the recovering addict. After all, many recovering addicts previously dealt with their stress through the very substance abuse they are now trying to avoid, meaning they don’t have the tested coping mechanisms for stress that those who don’t struggle with addiction have developed. But stress will occur, whether you’re ready or not, so it’s important to be ready.
The important thing for the recovering addict is to work on finding balance in managing their stress in sobriety.
Everyone encounters stress in some way, large or small, every single day. Even the most relaxed person on some lazy beach faces decisions and challenges, however minor, that can lead to momentary stress at times. But stress can sometimes rear up in larger ways, appearing monumental and overwhelming, and that’s where we have to determine how to handle it.
Everyone has their own ways of handling stress, but for the addict, stress management generally equals substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol can serve as stress relievers even for non-addicts, but for the addict, it’s a deadly combination that leads ever deeper into worse and worse substance abuse.
For the recovering addict, it can be a problem. Working to maintain their sobriety, they can no longer turn to the substance abuse they once used to manage stress. But while they may have cut drugs and alcohol out, they can’t avoid stress, and now they have to find new ways to manage stress with the old ways no longer available.
Worse, some of their stress will inevitably come from the very act of avoiding their former stress reliever. Cravings and temptations stemming from their addiction will be a leading cause of stress for the recovering addict, making it even more imperative to find a way to manage their stress levels.
There are numerous stress relief options open to the recovering addict, but how they decide to address their stress is less important than the action of addressing it, without substance abuse in the picture.
It’s all about finding balance. The recovering addict must balance their stress against their work to maintain their sobriety within their recovery. This delicate balancing act will differ from person to person, but finding the right level of stress and efforts to address it is vital for the recovering addict.
At Good Landing Recovery, finding the right balance in dealing with stress is an important step in the recovery process and treatment will ensure the patient is prepared for this vital issue before they leave rehab and begin the ongoing recovery process.
Handling stress amidst the constant struggle against addiction to maintain sobriety can be a challenge, but is not an insurmountable one. Proper preparation and constant vigilance can aid the recovering addict, but it’s all about finding the right mix between them.
Managing stress in sobriety, ultimately, is about finding the right balance. Good Landing Recovery can help you find and attain that balance. Give them a call today to get started.
