Recovering from addiction is one of the most challenging things a person can ever go through. During the early stages of your sobriety, you will likely be your weakest. It is during this time that the chances of relapse at highest. This is why it is essential that you enter an addiction recovery program. Trying to quit cold turkey isn’t a good idea because it often doesn’t work, and it can also be dangerous.

In the early stages of recovery, you are almost like a ticking time bomb. It doesn’t take much to cause to turn to back to drugs or alcohol when you haven’t been sober for too long.

Stress and Relapse

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the leading causes of relapse is stress. When you begin to feel stressed or overwhelmed, you will be tempted to self-medicate using drugs and alcohol. You will think about the feeling that you got when you were high or drunk, and it seems like the best way to fight the stress that you are experiencing. Many addicts who relapse during stressful times promise themselves that it will be, “just this one time,” so that they can get through the stressful situation. Unfortunately, the one time often turns back into a full-blown addiction.

Signs That You Are Overly Stressed

According to the American Psychological Association, your body has ways of letting you know that you are stressed. In some cases, it is the physical symptoms of stress that are the most unbearable. These include:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Upset stomach
• Rapid heartbeat
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble concentrating
• Jitters
• Irritability
• Forgetfulness
• Anxiety

Trying To Manage the Stress

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to remove all stressors from your life. Going through recovery is a very stressful situation in itself. Fortunately, there are ways that you can reduce your stress and the symptom associated with it.

• Focus on your breathing: Stress can quickly lead to panic, which can cause you to feel short of breath. In cases like this, you should focus on your breathing. This type of deep breathing will reduce the fight or flight response in your body, and it can help ground you. Within a few minutes, you will be more relaxed and less likely to relapse.
• Talk: Trying to keep your problems inside is only going to increase your stress level. If you find yourself feeling stressed, before you think about self-medicating, you should reach out to a friend, family member, a counselor, or go to a meeting. Just talking about your problems can significantly reduce your stress.
• Let go of what you can’t control: One way to create unnecessary stress in your life is to cling to the way that things were before your addiction took over your life. This isn’t something you can change, and you need to let it go. Revisiting a time when things were going well will only make your stress worse. If you have trouble letting go, it is something that you should discuss with a therapist.

Addiction Treatment Centers and Stress

When you check yourself into an addiction treatment center, you can avoid the stressors that are out there waiting for you in the real world. Sure, the stressors will still be there when you get out, but by then, you will be stronger, and you will have been clean longer.

While in treatment, you will have one-on-one therapy, where you can get to the root of your issues. When you are getting the help you need, it can reduce your stress. This isn’t something that you can get if you try to quit cold turkey.

If you are struggling with addiction, you should consider checking into Soba Mesa, a drug and alcohol treatment program in Mesa, Arizona. We offer a detox program to help get the drugs and alcohol out of your system safely and as comfortably as possible.

When you have completed detox, you will move onto the residential program. We provide modern therapies such as one-on-one therapy, group therapy, and family therapy. These are all essential when you are in recovery.

When it is time to check out, your treatment isn’t over. To maintain your sobriety when you leave, we will help you set up your aftercare services. A few essential aftercare services include a room at a sober living facility, outpatient therapy, and 12-step meetings. We will make sure that you have all of the necessary tools to maintain your sobriety after you are released.