People use drugs and alcohol for many different reasons, including to manage stress. Since these substances can provide a temporary escape, some people feel that they are managing their stress levels this way. While an occasional glass of wine may not be a cause for concern, continually relying on substances to get you through your days is a worry. Not only might you suffer negative health effects but also you might develop a full-blown addiction that requires drug rehab in AZ.
Whether you’re in recovery for a drug or alcohol addiction, or you are preventing yourself from going down this path, it’s important to know that there are many healthy alternatives to substance use. You’ll need to ask yourself why you are drawn to using substances and what you achieve from them. Do they relieve stress? Make you feel good? Give you a rush of pleasure?
Once you identify what is motivating you to use substances, you can find activities that provide you with the relief you’re looking for – but in a healthy way. During this transition, give yourself grace. It takes time to replace bad habits with good habits. If you need support, Wolf Creek Recovery can help. We offer various levels of care that will help you get sober and make a successful transition to everyday life.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deficiency is linked to a number of health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease and depression. Drugs and alcohol have disruptive effects on sleep, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Plus, the lifestyle associated with regular substance use does not make sleep a priority. You may stay awake for long stretches or sleep for just a few hours at a time.
Unfortunately, an inconsistency with your sleep cycle can make you more dependent on substances, interfering with your mental and physical health. By getting restful sleep every night, you can regulate your stress hormones, promote a balanced mind and keep your energy levels up.
Learn Breathing, Meditation or Mindfulness Techniques
Meditation and mindfulness start with breathing exercises, which help take the mind off stressful thoughts and put you into the present moment. If your current surroundings are stressful, then there are other techniques that can be used to calm the mind, such as guided imagery. Learning how to use these relaxation techniques can give you the confidence you need to handle stressful situations – and all without drugs or alcohol.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is known to help with addiction treatment. It makes the body stronger and the mind more resilient, and it also helps build self-confidence, self-esteem and self-efficacy, all things that are protective against substance use. Furthermore, exercise can reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, making you less likely to rely on substances to make you feel better. And, when you exercise, you’re normalizing the neural pathways that were affected during addiction.
Exercise should be fun, so consider some of the activities that you like to do. You don’t have to run for hours on a treadmill – you can go swimming, ride a bike around your neighborhood, join a softball league or play an interactive video game. As you find the activities you enjoy, you can move to medium levels of fitness. You’ll also have something new to do with your time.
Discover New Hobbies
Pursuing a hobby doesn’t just fill your time – it also improves your mental health by expanding neural connections in the brain that release feel-good chemicals. Furthermore, having hobbies exposes you to people with similar interests, decreases anxiety and depression and reduces stress. Find the hobbies and activities that you love and find ways to work them into your schedule. You may have to say ‘no’ to other things to make time, which is OK.
If you’re someone who enjoys thrill-seeking, consider adrenaline-boosting activities that will give you a natural high:
- Indoor rock climbing
- Bungee jumping
- Indoor skydiving
- Escape rooms
- Riding roller coasters
- Ziplining
Volunteer or Help Someone New to Recovery
Serving others is a wonderful way to support your recovery. It can help you reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, cultivate gratitude, foster humility and generate a positive mindset. Plus, when you get out into the world and help others who are less fortunate, you might look at your own struggles differently.
There are many ways to give back when you’re in recovery. You can donate your time to a food bank or homeless shelter, or you can volunteer your time at a local humane society. Some people even choose to foster a pet! Helping someone who is new to recovery can also boost your recovery. Think about the people who supported you in drug rehab in AZ and the difference it made – YOU can be this person!
Enjoy Alcohol-Free Drinks
If you were dependent on alcohol, you may miss some of the things associated with it, such as having a glass of something to drink when watching TV or hanging out with friends. Just because you are sober doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to water. There are plenty of zero-alcohol drinks you can enjoy such as sparkling waters, mocktails and alcohol-free beers and seltzers. Sometimes, just having a drink in hand can make you feel more comfortable and reduce social anxiety.
Our Rehab in AZ Can Show You New Ways to Enjoy Your Time!
Wolf Creek Recovery is located in Prescott AZ. We offer both evidence-based and holistic therapies to help our clients overcome their addiction and build a life that they love. Recreation therapy is part of our program, and we make sure that our clients get outdoors for fresh air, sunshine and skill building. Contact our admissions department to learn more about our treatment options and how we can help you thrive in recovery!
