Stopping your substance use is important, but it’s only one aspect of your recovery process. The foundation of your recovery is a life designed to help you avoid substance use. Living this way requires careful thought, emotional support and a range of healthy coping skills. So what are the coping skills for addiction that help the most?
Here we’ll review the value of several coping skills for addiction recovery, including using daily routines, setting healthy boundaries, asking for support, and getting help via an addiction recovery program.
Create a daily routine
Starting new healthy habits can feel challenging at times, but you’ll create a new normal for yourself when you stick with them. Here are some benefits of building routines for recovery.
Routines help you avoid risky situations.
Good self-care routines will steer you towards healthy habits and away from old patterns. If you’re hungry, emotional, tired or feeling unwell, you’ll be at a higher risk for relapse.
You’ll feel more prepared for the day and less stressed.
Being able to relax is essential since stress is often a trigger for substance use.
You’ll take better care of your body, mind and emotions.
Doing a few simple self-care activities each day will help you stay on track with your wellness. Some key elements of healthy routines include eating well, getting physical activity and spending time with people you care about.
Set up healthy boundaries
Boundaries and limits are essential for a healthy life because they help you avoid doing things that could put your recovery at risk. For example, you may find that you need to stay away from a couple of good friends from high school. You may know that you’re likely to use substances when you’re around them, and it saddens you to keep your distance. But acknowledging the need for this boundary is a critical step in your recovery.
Healthy boundaries also keep child and adult roles separated in families. A substance use disorder creates chaos and emotional pain, blurring these boundaries and disrupting the way a family functions. So maintaining good boundaries doesn’t only benefit you; your efforts help your family interact in safe and healthy ways.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Whether it’s a family member, friend or supportive peer, having someone by your side will impact your recovery in positive ways. Spending time around others who have been on a similar journey can help you feel less isolated. And if you have a mental health condition with addiction, regular interaction with peer support mentors can improve your treatment outcome.
Once you get used to stepping out and speaking up, you may feel more comfortable doing that with others you trust. With practice, you’ll feel less afraid of being rejected or shamed for sharing your feelings. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It takes a lot of strength to be honest with yourself, and on those days, it’s important to remember that you aren’t alone.
Get help with an addiction recovery program
Addiction recovery programs can teach you the coping skills you need and help you keep them in place. It can be challenging to learn new ways of dealing with emotions and stress. But the coping skills you adopt can be life-changing. Contact us today at the P.A.T.H. program to learn how we can help you or a loved one. Call us at 1-888-622-7809.