Taking Care of an Ill Loved One

Did You Finally End Your Opiate Addiction? 3 Ways To Cope With Anxiety In Sobriety

Now that you've been through treatment for your opiate addiction, you are ready to focus on relapse prevention. For many people in recovery, a relapse prevention plan includes strategies to address other mental health issues such as anxiety that affect sobriety. Although most people have some natural anxiety as they begin to rebuild their lives after treatment, you may find that your symptoms are more pronounced if you are diagnosed with this as a mental health condition. As you enter your sober living environment, use these tips to ease anxiety symptoms so that you can enjoy your new lifestyle.

Build a Support Network

In your treatment program, you learned that you could lean on others for support. Now, it's time to build a new network of friends, family members and mental health professionals that can all help you find strategies that keep you off of opiates. Search for someone in your new residence that you feel an instant connection with, and ask them if you can talk to them when you experience a craving. Ideally, you should have at least three people that you can turn to when you need a distraction or just to hear a few words of support for your commitment to stay sober.

Follow Your Treatment Plan

Before you left your treatment program, you were provided with tools to help you through this new stage of your recovery. For instance, you may have group recovery meetings on your schedule combined with individual counseling for your anxiety. Alternatively, you may have a prescription for anxiety medications if your symptoms are severe. Be sure to follow your treatment plan, and ask for help from your recovery support group if you run into a problem with it.

Focus on Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

One of the greatest things about sober living is that you now get the opportunity to create the life that you have always wanted. Sit down and think of a few activities that you can do to stay engaged and avoid falling prey to a craving. For example, you could learn how to cook healthy recipes with the other people in your residence that help you rebuild your physical health. In addition to cooking, explore new hobbies such as hiking, sewing or even playing an instrument that all help you improve your mental health as you move forward with your recovery.

Anxiety symptoms can interfere with sobriety but only if you let them. Now that you have greater control over your life, you can address the underlying issues that led to your addiction. By focusing on keeping busy with your new sober network of friends, you can actively pursue a healthy lifestyle that has no room for drugs. 


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