9 Healthy Coping Skills In Recovery

Once you’ve finished addiction treatment and you’re sober, you might think you’re in the clear. However, the work of recovery has only just begun. As your counselors and treatment center staff have told you, there is a chance of relapse, which is a return to drug and alcohol use. Fortunately, using healthy coping skills can help you on your journey to recovery. We’ll discover triggers and how you can handle them using said healthy coping skills.

Relapse triggers are people, places, things, and feelings that remind you of your previous substance abuse. These can bring about urges and cravings that can result in relapse. People who have used drugs for a long time associate substance use with feeling good. Even after you get sober, these associations will still be there, and when you encounter triggers, you’re bound to crave drugs and alcohol.

Whether you’ve abstained from substances for two months or two years, you must be aware of triggers that set off your cravings.

External Triggers

External triggers are physical things that remind you of past drug use. Some examples of external triggers include:

• People: Those closest to you (friends, family, coworkers, former drug dealers) can be triggers that cause you to relapse. You shouldn’t be around loved ones who have substance use disorder.
• Places: Walking or driving by a location where you used to drink or use drugs can set off cravings. These can include bars, restaurants, neighborhoods, bathrooms, and hotels. Try to avoid these places by using an alternative route to get to your destination.
• Objects: Even material things can spark cravings. Drug paraphernalia, spoons (for heroin users), movies, and empty pill bottles are all things that can influence a recovering addict’s behavior.
• Activities/Situations: Stressful situations can push those in recovery over the edge. These don’t just include losing a job or a loved one. Joyous occasions like weddings, birthdays, and other parties where alcohol is flowing can also induce cravings. Other situational triggers include”
  • Calls from creditors
  • Payday
  • Before, during, and after sex
  • Being home alone
  • Eating lunch or dinner
  • Talking on the phone

Internal Triggers

Internal triggers are emotions, feelings, and thoughts that you associate with drug use. These are harder to manage than external triggers because you can’t always avoid them. Internal triggers can lead to negative behavior that eventually leads to relapse.

Examples Of Internal Triggers Include:

• Negative feelings: If you ever feel irritated, angry, jealous, or anxious, you may think about turning to drugs and alcohol for comfort.
• Normal feelings: You might not think it, but even normal feelings can be triggers. Relaxation, boredom, embarrassment, and neglect can make you think about using.
• Positive feelings: Feeling excited, happy, confident, and strong can also lead to relapse. Celebrating something could make you want to reach for a bottle and join in on the fun.

To recognize which feelings could potentially set off a relapse, ask yourself the following questions:

• How do I feel before using substances?
• How do I want to feel before using drugs and alcohol?
• In the last week, how did I feel when I used or wanted to use drugs and alcohol?

Bottling Up Your Feelings

Some people tend to bottle up their emotions because they’re afraid to show vulnerability. However, doing this can cause you to act out in other ways, including using drugs or drinking to cope with your feelings.

By taking the following steps, you can learn how to better manage your emotions:

• Communicate your feelings consistently
• Figure out why you keep your feelings inside
• Accept and own your feelings
• Write in a journal
• Talk when you need to
• Release your bottled feelings

Hanging Out With Friends Who Use

If you’re feeling lonely, you might feel tempted to fall back into old habits. This can include getting together with friends, family members, or coworkers who abuse substances. When you’re early in your recovery, you must avoid these loved ones. Find friends who will support you in your transition to sobriety.

If you’re invited to an event with some of your old friends, explain your situation to them. Real friends will understand that you need time away, and this honesty will strengthen your friendship. If these friends don’t understand and even tempt you to drink or use drugs, you need to set boundaries. Try going to a coffee shop or juice bar instead of a bar or other establishment that serves alcohol.

When you’re at Harmony Ridge, we can help you create a plan to put in place when you come across triggers. Our counselors will use the tools and skills you’ve learned to help you prevent relapse.

A good relapse prevention plan might include some elements of the following:

• Daily exercise
• Daily meditation
• Praying or other forms of spirituality
• Daily journaling
• Practicing a hobby like crocheting or learning a new instrument
• Finishing everything on your to-do list every day
• Reaching out to a sponsor if you come across a trigger or just need to talk

If you relapse, don’t consider it a failure. Although you’ve suffered a setback, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t hope left for you. Everyone encounters obstacles on their road to success. Relapse is more common than you think; most people in recovery return to drug and alcohol use within one year of completing treatment.

You might have to enter treatment again if your situation is dire. However, by attending support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous and participating in aftercare programs, you should get back on the right track soon enough.