Emotional intelligence skills in recovery involve a specific type of knowledge referring to how well someone can perceive, communicate and evaluate emotions. Individuals recovering from an alcohol or drug dependency or addiction may find it especially helpful and healing to practice emotional intelligence, considering that in the past, they used to rely on alcohol or drugs to work through any difficult emotions they feel.
While they may have found substances to provide temporary relief, ultimately, they’ve likely only created more difficulty, preventing people from controlling or expressing their emotions appropriately.
In some cases, a lack of emotional control over more challenging emotional disturbances and frustration can contribute to relapses. For this reason, people who are in recovery for drug addiction, alcohol addiction, substance abuse or mental health conditions at a treatment center such as Promises Behavioral Health can benefit from practicing emotional intelligence skills in recovery.
Developing and utilizing one’s emotional intelligence skills in recovery can make a person better at communicating effectively, deciding where to spend their emotional currency, how they will respond when they become emotional, and overcoming challenges inherent in each of these tasks. Listed below are essential emotional intelligence skills to build during treatment at a mental health center and recovery.
#1: Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence
Self-awareness refers to our ability to recognize and understand our emotions. In addition to realizing the extent of our own emotions, it’s also essential that we know how our feelings, moods and behaviors impact other people. Individuals with high self-awareness can recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Such self-awareness can empower us to be more receptive to new information and experiences and learn from our interactions with others, all of which can be advantageous to resilience and health outcomes during treatment and recovery.
#2: Self-Regulation
Self-regulation and self-awareness can go hand in hand, as emotional intelligence requires us not only to be aware of our emotions and how they can impact others but to manage them as well. Having self-regulation can improve the way we handle conflicts and challenging situations. It’s important to know that managing your emotions during and after recovery does not mean hiding or suppressing what you feel. Instead, self-regulation means appropriately expressing your feelings at the right place and time.
#3: Motivation
Motivation, specifically intrinsic motivation, is another of the most important emotional intelligence skills in recovery. Individuals with this skill hope to fulfill their personal needs and goals without external rewards like money, acclaim or prizes. Instead, behaviors motivated intrinsically typically have rewards involving developing positive emotions inside.
You can improve your intrinsic motivation with the help of family, friends and of course, a professional therapist or clinician. An expert at a treatment center can help you through any challenges you face, guide you through setting measurable goals, support you and encourage you to find accountability for your emotions and actions, and help you celebrate your results.
At Promises Behavioral Health, our trained professionals understand that some people lack motivation or are unsure if they will ever get better. These experts deliver top-notch treatment, information, resources and support that empowers people to survive, thrive, and overcome addiction, trauma, mental illness or behavioral issues. For help and guidance in enhancing your emotional intelligence and honing emotional intelligence skills in recovery, reach out to us at Promises Behavioral Health.
Some of the many evidence-based treatment options we offer include:
- Trauma and PTSD treatment
- Eating disorder treatment
- Anxiety treatment
- Drug and alcohol detox
- Relapse prevention counseling
Reaching out to the compassionate professionals at Promises Behavioral Health at 888-907-7257 can get you started on the judgment-free recovery journey you deserve.