One of the most common reasons a person develops a substance abuse problem is because they turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of coping with their stress. What can start as a few drinks to decompress after work or class can quickly lead to several drinks every day — and eventually, full-blown addiction.
In order to stay on track during your recovery and maintain your sobriety, it’s essential to find better, healthy ways to manage your stress.
Ways to Manage Your Stress While Staying Sober
Voice Your Stress
One of the worst things you can do is keep your stress bottled up inside. While it may not be easy, if there is a particular person who is causing you to feel stressed or anxious, speak to them. If something is bothering you at work or in class, talk to your supervisor or professor to try and sort things out.
Simply getting your feelings out can greatly help in relieving your stress and prevent you from coping with drugs or alcohol.
Get Creative
Whether or not you consider yourself “artsy,” try channeling your stress into something creative — write a story or poem, perform music, draw or paint a picture. None of these things have to be perfect either — even just splattering paint onto a canvas or strumming out a few chords can be therapeutic.
Get Active
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress while simultaneously improving your health. While you can head to the gym for a planned workout, doing yoga or going for a walk or run will also help boost your endorphin levels and make you feel less stressed.
Meditate
Meditation is a great way to focus on your inner thoughts, use your breathing to channel your energy, and dispel stressful feelings from your body. You can go to a meditation studio for a guided meditation or you can use phone apps and videos to relax in the comfort of your own home.
At Silvermist, we’ve developed a distinctive, person-centered recovery approach that addresses not only the dependency but the life occurrences that often contribute to addiction or prevent you from changing.
Our intake specialists are available to handle inquiries 24/7 at (724) 268-4858. We also invite you to fill out our online contact form if you’re interested in learning more.