Stress is one of the more complicated emotions people have. No matter how hard we try to avoid it, there are going to be situations throughout your life that bring stress. Yet, for a person in drug addiction recovery, that stress can be worrisome. Stress and relapse often go hand-in-hand unless you know how to get the support you need. Stress management is an important skill to work on for those in recovery. At Bayview Recovery, we will provide you with the resources you need to better manage stress and avoid relapsing.

Why Stress and Relapse Happen Together So Often

Stress is an emotional reaction to a situation. It is impossible to stop stress from occurring in your life, but you can control it. When you are in a difficult situation, your body produces cortisol, a type of hormone that races through your body and prepares it to react. The goal from a physical standpoint is to ensure you can run away from the problem or deal with it properly. Yet, in today’s society, stress is nearly always there. Your body isn’t made to manage stress like this.

As stress builds, your mental health can be strained. Your brain is looking for ways to reduce that stress. That is why stress and relapse often occur together – your brain remembers your use of alcohol or drugs as a way to reduce stress. It wants you to use now to get the same results. This is why knowing how to deal with stress can help maintain sobriety.

How Can You Control the Outcome?

When you are facing stress and relapse is a risk factor, it’s important to react in the right way. There are plenty of ways to better react to stress than using again. Here are some tips for dealing with it:

• Focus on staying positive. Often, stress is brought on by factors you cannot control. Stay positive and do what you can recognize your limitations.
• Work out that stress. Exercise helps burn through those hormones. Regular exercise or gym therapy also has a number of mental health benefitis.
• Combat stress with good hormones by doing something fun and enjoyable even when life is tough.
• Seek out someone to talk to about what’s happening. That can help to reduce stress hormones.
• Recognize when you need help and turn to a professional for guidance.

For those who have been through drug and alcohol treatment, knowing when to get help is the most important factor. If you are thinking about drugs and alcohol, that’s a clear sign. If you are feeling overwhelmed and cannot get help, that’s when you need to seek out additional help.

Choose the Right Type of Help

At Bayview Recovery, there is help available for you no matter what you are facing. Our team can offer support right away, helping you to avoid relapse. That includes providing you with opportunities through our extended recovery program. You can also find support through our different therapy programs including:

• Group therapy program
• Individual therapy sessions
• Anger management therapy classes
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy program
• Dialectical behavioral therapy program

Don’t put your recovery on the line. If you’re already using, turn to our intensive outpatient program and partial hospitalization treatment options.

Secure the Care You Need Now at Bayview Recovery

When you see the complications from stress and relapse is on the back of your mind, now is the time to act. Our team at Bayview Recovery offers the tools and resources to help you get back to where you need to be. Don’t throw out the hard work you have put into recovery. Call our compassionate counselors at 855.478.3650 instead.