Dealing With Stress in Sobriety

Just because we get alcohol addiction help and get sober does not mean that everything is perfect. It just means that we finally have tools to deal with things as they come up. In sobriety there are a number of things that can come up, from your car not starting when you’re running 20 minutes late, to a job interview, to your bank account being over drafted. Life can throw you curve balls. There will be times when you’ll want to rip your hair out or dwell on “what ifs”. Without the alcohol to calm the storm, what now? How do you deal with life’s ways of surprising you?

 

Relaxing During Stressful Times

Sometimes just breathing, sitting down, putting pen to paper and venting will relieve some of that tension. Get yourself to a meeting, and share about what’s going on. There will be someone there who is going through what you are, or has gone through it and can give you a different perspective.

Don’t be So Tough on Yourself

Stress is our reaction to being overwhelmed.  Pick something that makes you happy that you may or may not have done in a while and do it!  As alcoholics our minds are constantly racing. We can be our toughest critic. When we go through a 12 step recovery program we are given everything we need to be able to stay calm, cool, and collected in every situation. Through the 12 steps of recovery we can begin to deal with stressful situations while maintaining a sense of peace, and serenity.

Feeling Alone?

Many of us are all too familiar with feeling like we are alone and there is no one that is there for us when we are in the middle of our alcohol addiction. This feeling can continue into our sobriety. What we fail to realize sometimes is that there is a difference between being alone and sitting with ourselves. While both situations can be potentially uncomfortable there is nothing wrong with taking time for ourselves. In fact it is healthy to invest in time with ourselves and regroup. We are like batteries in the sense that if we give of our time and don’t take time for ourselves we become drained. When we get through drug addiction treatment , AA, or other substance abuse programs and get sober we never have to go through anything alone again. We gain a huge support system in sobriety. The more that we invest in ourselves and our lives, the more we can appreciate those moments to ourselves without feeling isolated or uncomfortable. We can take comfort in knowing that we have made friends that are there for us no matter what and that even if we need moments to ourselves they will still be there when we need them or wish to socialize. So if you need that time to decompress go ahead and take it. Curl up on the couch with a book you’ve wanted to read, watch a movie, or go do new things you have wanted to try out. Building a relationship with ourselves is one of the highlights of recovery that should not be missed out on.

Faulty Emotional Dependencies After Recovery

When we were getting loaded there was that fear for most of us that there would not be enough of what we needed or wanted. Most of us worried about the party being over or running out of booze or drugs or the means to get them. This type of “got to get mine” thinking doesn’t necessarily stop just because we go to Above It All, AA, or other 12 step programs and get sober. Those thoughts that lead to us seeking elevated moods can also lead to us having faulty emotional dependencies on people, places and things. Even after receiving drug addiction detox, many of us can relate to having the thoughts that if we had “a certain something” then we could be happy. If we had the car, house, partner, or job then everything would be good. The problem with this is that those people, places, or things often fail us and we are left burnt up and resentful. When we play the director in our lives there is little room for a power greater than ourselves to step in. When we get sober we learn how to let go of our faulty emotional dependencies and have faith that things will turn out exactly how they are supposed to be in the end. We can begin to let go of what we think will make us happy and be able to see what it feels like to find true happiness. We learn that true happiness does not stem from things around us, but rather from within. It is a happiness and inner peace that cannot be taken away.

Moving in Sobriety

Whether it’s moving across the city or across the country moving is an event that many find to be stressful. The overwhelming stress of finding a new place, packing up everything we have ever owned, and reliving the memories that our old home may or may not hold for us is tough.  The bright side is that with the help of Above It All, AA or other 12 step programs we now have the tools to handle the stress this may bring us. The options that we have now that we have gone through detox and got sober are unlimited. whether its calling our sponsor to discuss how the move is making us feel , meditating, praying for clarity, attending  a meeting when the stress begins to build, or talking to your friends and asking  for help with finding meetings in the new area you will be residing in you are not alone. When looking for a new home it’s important that we find the nearby meetings in the area and become familiar with the time and locations. This will help in getting you connected to the sober community around you. It is also important that if we are moving far away that we get contacts from people so that we can have people that we can reach out to and check in with. The beauty of getting sober and receiving addiction treatment

is that we never have to go through anything alone. If we stay sober we can do anything we set our mind to if we are spiritually fit.