One of the biggest misconceptions many who are trying to recover from addiction have is that the substances are the problem. While alcohol or drugs are certainly part of the issue, there’s a much bigger underlying cause. If all it took was physically quitting drugs or alcohol to stay clean, nobody would ever relapse. Learning coping skills to deal with the curveballs that life throws is vital to long lasting recovery.
Coping Skills for Depression and Anxiety
Mental illness is one of the main reasons that people turn to drugs or alcohol. Often, self-medication seems like the only solution. Addiction treatment programs help you learn about your mental illness and how to manage it. Depression occurs for different reasons, but it’s mainly due to a lack of certain chemicals in the brain. The great news is that learning skills to cope with depression can help you replenish these chemicals.
Depression can make you feel misunderstood and alone. Unfortunately, these feelings only perpetuate the symptoms. While in treatment, patients to learn how to spot the symptoms as they arise and what it takes to work with them. Sometimes dealing with depression can be as simple as getting up and going for a walk during the day. One of the best ways to deal with depression is by being around people who love and care about you.
Anxiety is another common mental illness that can feel unmanageable at times. Thoughts that create worry feed anxiety. Through intensive therapy, patients learn about their anxiety triggers and where they come from. Once they’re able to identify these and develop coping skills for them, the symptoms generally become easier to deal with.
Dealing with Anger
In many programs, anger is one of the main focuses of addiction recovery, primarily because anger hinders your decision-making abilities. Much like anxiety, anger takes place in a part of the brain that runs on pure survival instincts. Even if anger doesn’t cause you to drink or use drugs, it can cause issues in your life. Without the proper coping skills for anger, it’s difficult to repair relationships with loved ones.
Addiction Treatment at First Step Behavioral Health
First Step Behavioral Health’s inpatient drug treatment program can help you overcome your addiction. In our program, you’ll have the time that you need to focus on yourself and learn a new way of living life. We offer various forms of therapy, including the following:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Talk therapy
- Family therapy
Through these methods, you’ll begin to see that you have hope for recovery. Find out more about our program in Pompano Beach, Florida by giving us a call today at (855) 425-4846.
