This can be very difficult and fraught with relapse potential. After all, relapse begins with emotions. So here are five tips on managing your emotions in addiction recovery.
Name What You’re Feeling
Emotional pain is messy. It is usually tied to years-old experiences that still seem fresh. Some emotional pain happens through addiction and involves relationships that suffered during that time.
But sometimes, emotional pain is the source of addiction. Alcohol or opioid use disorder or other forms of substance abuse are like a giant pause button. You press it so as not to have to deal with the pain you’re feeling.
Now that you have to manage the emotions you never dealt with, it’s time to start naming your feelings. People often associate a feeling of clarity from putting words to what they feel.
Clarity, the knowledge of the emotion and where it comes from, can help you begin to feel your emotions without reacting.
Know When You Need Self-Care (HALT)
The HALT acronym, which stands for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired, has been applied in various therapeutic contexts, but it is especially helpful for people in recovery.
HALT is an easy reminder that you acutely feel emotional pain when you have stopped caring for your basic human needs. Addressing the needs brought up by the acronym is a simple way to manage emotional pain.
Maintaining a healthy diet, getting proper sleep, taking time out to reset your perspective, engaging your network of safe friends, and being kind to yourself is essential.
Have a Support Network in Place
It can’t be emphasized enough that when you leave your rehab program, you must have a support network. In a treatment program, you are surrounded by people with a common purpose. When you leave, you experience a great deal of time alone.
Having a support network means you have people you can talk to or spend time with. Emotional pain can be incredibly overwhelming when you feel lonely or vulnerable. Have a list of people on hand so you don’t have to think about who to call.
Do Something You Love
Recovery is a new beginning, a complete break from the addictions that dominated your life and the habits and lifestyle choices that led to those addictions.
For this reason, people in recovery often start a new hobby or return to something they loved doing before substance use. Having something you love to do can give you a break from the drudgery of emotional pain.
Whereas much of recovery involves processing emotions in healthy ways or avoiding triggers from your old life that could cause a relapse, having a hobby is a way to act positively, make new memories, and regain some emotional energy.
Continue With Therapy or Mindfulness Practices
Another way to manage emotional pain is to continue with formal teaching or insight into your recovery.
You can do this by continuing therapy or engaging in mindfulness practices. This involves having a trained or licensed therapist you can meet with periodically or when you feel in danger of relapse. Having someone available to remind you of simple ways to manage emotional pain can be a lifesaver.
Practicing mindfulness may be a less formal method of dealing with emotional pain, but it can be no less effective. It’s a good idea to take some time with a mindfulness coach who can remind you of breathing techniques or mental exercises that you can do to reset your perspective.
Sources:
PsychCentral — 7 Evidence-Based Strategies to Manage Emotional Pain
Psychology Today — Processing Pain and Dealing With Emotional Debris
Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine — Relapse Prevention and the Five Rules of Recovery
Published by – International Pain Foundation, iPain Blog, Team iPain
