Seeking treatment is an important part of your recovery and your long-term healing. However, you still have responsibilities you need to maintain, like work, school, and parenting. Moreover, these life responsibilities come with some level of stress, which can be taxing on your recovery.
How Stress Impacts Substance Use Disorder
According to an article from the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, acute and chronic stress play a role in increased motivation for substance use. Therefore, when you lack healthy coping skills, you may turn to substances as a means to self-medicate the uncomfortable psychological and physical symptoms of stress.
While in recovery, there are a wide variety of stressors you may encounter at work as risk factors for relapse. According to a publication by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), workers have daily stressors that affect their health and organizational performance. There are numerous work-related stressors you may encounter every day. In addition, these stressors can profoundly impact your physical and physiological health when left untreated.
Work and Stress
Listed below are some of the work challenges you may face in recovery and the effect they can have on your health:
- Stressors:
- Heavy workloads
- Long commutes
- Unpredictable schedules
- Long hours
- Limited autonomy
- Low wages
- Financial instability
- Multiple jobs
- Hyper competitive
- Additional challenges:
- Hostility
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Dangerous work conditions
- Physical health problems:
- Sleep issues
- Muscle tension
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- Mental health problems:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal ideation
- Substance use
Thus, if work-related stress increases your risk of relapse and other health issues, you may wonder how you can effectively manage these stressors in recovery. The answer lies in finding a balance.
Balancing Work in Recovery
Finding balance can feel impossible. Moreover, trying to build that balance may feel even more overwhelming when you are also in recovery. However, listed below are some ways you can incorporate balance in your life for your long-term wellness:
- Set manageable goals
- Learn time management skills
- Request work flexibility
- Remote or hybrid options
- Flexible schedules
- Take breaks
- Listen to music
- Communicate your needs
These are some ways you can start learning to manage your stress. However, additional therapeutic support can teach you how to build coping skills for your long-term recovery.
Building Coping Skills at The Guest House
At The Guest House, we know your life outside of treatment may be filled with stress, which can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Therefore, our mission is to create a safe, stress-free environment where you have the time and space to rediscover a healthier and happier you.
Through a wide range of holistic care options like yoga and meditation, we can teach you how to manage your stress and build coping skills for your long-term recovery. Moreover, yoga and meditation can help you learn how to calm your mind and reframe your thought in stressful situations.
Trying to balance work-life stress can feel even more overwhelming when you are in recovery. Stress can be a trigger for SUD cravings, increasing your risk of a relapse. However, you can learn how to manage your daily stressors with self-care and healthy coping skills. At The Guest House, we know your responsibilities do not end when you enter recovery, so we provide a safe, stress-free environment where you can recover. Moreover, our variety of holistic care options, like yoga and meditation, can support you in building healthy coping skills to manage your stress. Call us at (855) 483-7800.