Stress is a natural part of life, and everyone experiences stress at some point. However, for people in recovery from substance abuse or addiction, stress can be even more challenging. Recovering from addiction takes time and consistent effort. It also requires making new choices and changing old habits to ensure you don’t return to your old ways. Current stressors may include work, school, family responsibilities, finances, relationships, loneliness or other challenges unique to your circumstances. Stressors may also be predictable seasonal events like the holidays that can trigger negative thoughts and feelings about yourself or others from your past. Stressors are not inherently good or bad; rather they are neutral forces that present opportunities for growth as well as potential challenges. Here are some stress relievers that can help you deal with these challenges while building self-confidence and resilience.
Exercise and Sports
Physical activity can help you to manage stress in many ways, including reducing negative emotions and helping you to think more clearly. It can also improve your mood and increase your energy levels. Physical activity is also good for your health, so if you are experiencing stress, it’s a good idea to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Exercise can help you to manage your stress in three main ways – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Physical exercise can help reduce stress-induced anxiety, improve sleep and increase self-confidence. Exercises such as yoga are great for reducing stress and improving focus and mood.
Sports may have unique benefits. Playing sports is a great way to channel negative emotions like anger and sadness into positive physical energy. Sports and exercise are also a fantastic way to stay connected to your body and mind when you’re experiencing stress. When you play social sports, you also have opportunities to develop friendships and learn how to collaborate, communicate, and deal with interpersonal conflict. Physical activity can help you to feel grounded and connected, which can help you to avoid a lot of the emotional and mental stress that we often experience in our day-to-day lives.
Exercise and sports are also good for your mental health, especially if you’re prone to experiencing stress and anxiety. They can help you to reduce stress by boosting your mood, improving your self-confidence and helping you to clear your head. Many studies show that exercise can help with depression as well as prescription antidepressants.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing exercises are one of the best ways to manage stress and anxiety, helping you to stay calm, focused and positive. Breathing exercises are particularly helpful if you’re feeling stressed out, anxious or stressed in general. They can help you to calm down, focus and relax. They can be done anywhere and at any time, which makes them a very useful tool for managing stress and anxiety. There are many different types of breathing exercises. You can experiment with different exercises and see what works best for you.
Two common breathing exercises include:
- Deep Breathing – This is a very simple breathing exercise that anyone can do. It’s super helpful if you’re feeling stressed or anxious, or if you just want to get in the habit of breathing better. Deep breathing is done best lying down or sitting in a quiet environment.
- Box Breathing – Box breathing is a more advanced breathing technique that can be used to slow down your brain and to help you to focus when under intense pressure. It’s a variation of the deep breathing exercise. The only difference is that you’ll use a certain pattern when breathing out and in. The pattern is that of a box, with four parts. The first part is when you’re breathing out and exhaling completely, followed by a small pause. The second part is when you breathe in and take air into your lungs, followed by another pause. The third part is when you exhale completely again. And the final part is when you take a long deep breath in, followed by another pause.
Meditation
Meditation is a practice that has been used for thousands of years to calm the mind and reduce stress. There are many different types of meditation. Some focus on breathing, others focus on repeating a mantra, and some focus on thinking about a certain topic. Meditation can be done in a lot of different ways. You can do it lying down, sitting, or even standing up. You can also use different techniques such as focusing on your breathing, repeating a mantra, thinking about a certain topic, visualizing, using sound, using imagery or using a combination of these. A large body of research shows that meditation may help reduce triggers for people in recovery from addiction.
Writing and Journaling
Journaling can be a great way to release negative thoughts and emotions, making space for more positive emotions and thoughts. It’s a good idea to start a daily journaling habit to keep track of your progress, feelings and challenges. You can also try different journaling techniques. For example, you can use a gratitude journal, habit journal or a daily prompt journal. There are many different ways to use journaling for stress relief. For example, you could focus on writing down all the things that are going well in your life. Or you could also try writing down your feelings and emotions. Journaling can help you to get in touch with your emotions and therefore make it easier to face and deal with them.
Creating art
The creative process is an excellent way to express your emotions and discover insight. It can help you to make sense of the past, release negative emotions and create a sense of balance. Art therapy can help you to manage stress and reduce anxiety by encouraging you to tap into your creative side. There are many different ways to express yourself creatively, including painting, drawing, sculpting, writing, dancing, playing an instrument, singing, gardening and more.
Volunteer and Help Others
Volunteering is a great way to reduce stress, improve your mood and feel more connected. It can also help you to focus on other people’s needs, which can give you a new perspective on your own challenges and struggles. There are many different ways to volunteer and help others. For example, you could volunteer at a charity or non-profit organization. Or you could also visit an elderly neighbor once a week and help them with their daily tasks. Volunteering can be very rewarding, but it’s important to choose a cause that’s meaningful and that you’re passionate about. It may also be helpful to volunteer with other people, as this can add a social element and make the experience even more enjoyable.
Find a Stress Free Environment in a Sober Living Home
People in recovery learn to manage stress as part of the process. The stress of day-to-day life, combined with the pressure to remain sober and avoid triggers, creates a lot of stress for recovering people. Stress relievers can help you handle difficult situations and decrease your risk of relapse.
If you’re in recovery, it might be challenging at times. There may be moments when you feel like giving up or think that staying sober is too hard. You may feel anxious about going back to work or school, or have other concerns about what the future holds for you. These are all natural reactions to going through such a big and life-changing transition.
Stress can often be reduced by changing your environment or removing yourself from stressful situations. Sober living homes provide an excellent opportunity to find a stress-free environment. A sober living home is a shared living environment where people in recovery can live together. They are often managed by passionate staff members who are in recovery themselves. Sober living homes provide a safe and supportive environment where you can focus on your recovery, reduce your stress levels and make progress towards attaining your goals. Sober living homes are designed to make your journey towards recovery as comfortable as possible. They offer a range of services and amenities that can help you to reduce your stress levels and focus on your recovery. If you are interested in making a change and enrolling a sober living, contact Sober Living West today!
