How to Stay Clean and Sober When Under Duress

Those in recovery who want to stay in recovery have acquired and are using new coping tools to face challenges. The old way of coping with problems like rage or overwhelming emotions involved drugs or alcohol. What was once a coping aid became an additional problem. Replacing drugs and alcohol with healthy ways for managing tough situations is the key to long-term recovery.

Where does one find these tools? Treatment centers focus on this aspect of recovery because studies suggest that stress is a primary cause of relapse. A great deal of time in rehab is spent on tips for the management of feelings and stress, in order to guide individuals in working on the important emotional aspect of recovery. The support provided during treatment for coping with stress helps those leaving rehab to avoid relapse. In addition, honesty with one’s doctor or therapist about a problem with drugs and alcohol could bring forward coping mechanisms that work.

Staying Clean and Sober Requires Good Coping Skills

Learning how to stay clean and sober will mean looking at effective ways to cope with stress. Meditation is one way to ease psychological stress. Recent medical studies suggest that even short periods of time spent in silence can clear the mind and relax the body. Finding a quiet place where one can sit, close the eyes and breathe deeply can provide instant relief.

Studies also show that physical exercise is a good coping tool, promoting discipline and overall good health. Some consider exercise a form of meditation, as it clears the mind and distracts from thoughts that cause anxiety and stress. Along with exercise goes a diet without caffeine or sugar, both of which accelerate metabolism and bring on the nervous jitters. Creative endeavors like art, sculpting, music, or writing have also been known to quiet the mind and promote peace within. After all, staying sober and serenity are often linked, so working on one’s stress indicators makes perfect sense.

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