The importance of managing stress effectively once rehab has been completed plays a major role in the path to a clean and sober lifestyle.
Many of us battle to handle our stress correctly and when someone has an addiction it becomes even tougher as the addict will try to medicate their feelings which may ultimately lead to a relapse.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to handle stress after addiction rehabilitation.
What to Look Out For:
Stress doesn’t have to become a major issue if it is dealt with prematurely and correctly. As a matter of fact, stress can actually benefit the addict after a stint in an addiction treatment centre by encouraging the individual to positively change their lifestyle.
The above rarely happens though because many of us ignore stress, making the situation worse than what it should have been.
Stress usually comes in two forms, mainly physical stress and mental stress.
Physical stress will include symptoms such as getting migraines, joint pain, tiredness and fluctuating body weight. It may also lead to the addict using other drugs such as alcohol to help cope.
Psychological stress can lead to nervousness, sadness, short-mindedness, inundation, concentration problems and constant changing of moods.
When stress is managed incorrectly after rehab, it can directly escort the recovering addict back to their life of addiction.
Staying aware of these signs and symptoms after treatment will greatly decrease the chances of suffering a relapse.
Where Does Stress Come From?
Stress stems from everyday life. Individuals who struggle to cope with it will have problems adapting to changes in their life, new prospects and new relationships.
Paying attention to what causes stress helps in effectively handling it.
Below you can find some sources where stress may come from:
- Family: Arguing or fighting with the people that love you
- Career: Finding a job or trying to cope with challenging demands in the workplace
- Relationships: Managing the relationships you have with old friends or new ones
- Money: Paying medical bills or any other costly procedure for example, addiction treatment
- Health: Trying to cope with body or mental pain can prove to be a tough and gruelling task
When this happens, it may cause the addict to feel pressured and unable to find a solution to their problems. This is when the possibility of a relapse occurring after rehab becomes a reality.
It is therefore important that recovering addicts are taught stress management skills in the addiction rehabilitation centre.
How to Handle Stress after Rehab
Once treatment has been completed, it’s important the stress management skills that are taught in the rehab clinic are put into practice.
A stress management guide should include the following 6 questions:
1. What are my physical symptoms?
2. What are my mental symptoms?
3. What causes me to stress?
4. What other alternatives can I use instead of using drugs or alcohol?
5. What can I do to relieve my stress?
6. What tasks can I do every day to help me relax?
By recognising the warning signs and following a simple stress management guide, it will help in preventing a relapse from ever happening.