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Does Early Recovery Trigger Anxiety? 

High levels of anxiety almost always go with the recovery territory. The brain and body are sorting themselves out slowly as detox gets rid of toxic substances from the body. Early recovery triggers anxiety for many reasons. It may not be something new for some people with addiction, but when it hits, anxiety can feel crippling. It helps to deal with anxiety in a safe space where people can offer support, medication, and more to deal more effectively. This, too, eventually, will pass.

Alcoholism and Anxiety

Mental illness and addiction often are found together. Dual diagnoses, or co-occurring disorders, happen just under half the time with addiction. While these two conditions don’t always co-occur, those who suffer from alcoholism are likely to suffer from depression at some point. When someone suffers from depression, anxiety is also more likely. Self-medicating can be effective for a time but turn into alcoholism at some point. It is not sustainable to drink away negative feelings. At some point, they must be dealt with appropriately. 

Why Self-Medicating is Harmful

Using drugs or alcohol to self-medicate can create new challenges in people’s lives. Even if the substance is partially effective in controlling anxiety, it may bring new issues into the home, within the family structure, and at wor. Substances will be required to do basic things like getting out of bed at some point, which indicates tolerance and addiction are likely. Addiction is always a coping mechanism, a means of running away from pain or difficult emotions. Substances can never take the place of doing healing work where possible in a person’s life. 

Navigating Anxiety

The key to navigating anxiety well is to look for constructive ways of coping in recovery. In early recovery, people must fight against many barriers. To find hope and healing from anxiety in recovery, it helps to have a plan. This plan must be based on finding ways to stay busy, occupied, and away from substances. Attending multiple recovery meetings, finding sober friends, and staying away from places that trigger old memories of substance use are helpful, as well.

Find Support

Ongoing support is important for people in recovery. If a group is sober, this helps them find healing. Every city has addiction recovery groups that help people in the early days of coping with anxiety. Looking for those opportunities is going to create supportive spaces for people to engage with others in sobriety. 

Positive coping strategies are important for people in recovery. They should focus on their healing journey and mental health with support from therapists, sober friends, and others who help them along the way. The goal is to find coping strategies that help them heal while continuing the work of recovery so they can return to feeling healthy in a holistic way.

The Guest House Ocala understands anxiety is not treatable in a day. We know substances seem like they work but they don’t fix the underlying issue. Anxiety is part of a larger challenge people face in recovery. Our treatment programs help diagnose mental health disorders, offer treatment plans for dual diagnoses and support the journey of healing. Call us to find out how to get started: 1-855-483-7800