Using substances to cope? Here’s how you can build healthy coping strategies to replace drug or alcohol use.
People often wonder why others become addicted to drugs or alcohol. After all, it seems like a terrible disease, causing damage to the addicted person and everyone around them. Why do it if the consequences are so bad?
But if you have suffered from addiction, you know how the urge to continually use substances can become so compelling. While the pleasure you felt when you first started using might have faded, it’s the struggles of sobriety that push you to continue.
Some people start using alcohol or drugs because they don’t have healthy mechanisms to cope with difficult experiences. Others may have had strong coping mechanisms before, but now they rely on substances. Either way, without those substances, they don’t know how to regulate their emotions and get through tough times.
This is why building healthy coping skills for addiction is an essential aspect of recovery.
If you’re recovering from addiction and struggling to manage, what steps can you take? Here are 8 healthy coping strategies to replace drug or alcohol use.
1. Find Distractions (the good kind)
Why are we starting with a coping mechanism that everyone, even those addicted to substances, already uses? Well, some of the most effective distractions can do more harm than good. For example, if you decide to spend hours scrolling on social media, you are unlikely to feel any better when you’re done (and you’re at risk of a social media addiction).
While we’re going to go into some substantial coping mechanisms, those strategies might require practice and motivation. So, when you just need to take your mind off a problem, what distractions can you use?
The key is to find an enjoyable activity that is also substantial. Common examples include listening to music, dancing, reading a captivating book, watching a movie, and watching sports. Remember that any activity can become problematic if done in excess – distractions should not be your only primary mechanism but rather something you can fall back on.
2. Physical Exercise
Proven by research to improve mental health, physical exercise is one of the best coping strategies you can use. Exercise releases endorphins – a neurotransmitter that raises your mood. It is also great for your physical health and can help lower the volume of distressing thoughts.
Choose something that you think you might enjoy. If you find running or cycling to be a slog, for example, see if you can join a casual sports team. Many people play basketball, soccer, tennis, and other sports for fun and personal enjoyment, even if they have minimal prior experience.
3. Creative Expression
It’s common for people to convince themselves they’re not creative simply because they don’t have the natural talent of professional artists. But everyone wants to express themselves and drawing on your internal creativity is a great way to do it. You don’t have to create a masterpiece or even share it with anyone else. It is entirely for yourself.
Creative expression is an important coping strategy because it provides an outlet for thoughts and feelings that you may struggle to speak about. And, while you might not enjoy processing troubling emotions in conversation, engaging your creative spirit can be a lot of fun even when you’re feeling down.
4. Social Connection
Addiction is a very isolating disease. As the drugs or alcohol become your focus, your connection with loved ones frays. Your actions might also drive some people away. Other addicts become your only friends and you may have to leave them behind if you are to recover.
Community is crucial for coping with tough times and avoiding relapse. The best coping strategy is often to reach out to a friend or family member who has your back. It can be difficult to rebuild relationships and make new friends, but it is also a highly rewarding process that will do wonders for your mental health.
5. Therapy
In a rehab program, you will regularly see a therapist. However, the value of regular sessions remains even after you have gone back to your normal routine. A therapist will help you learn to cope in multiple ways with challenges you may not have anticipated. You can talk to them when you feel lost and they will work with you to find your path forward.
6. Mindfulness
Do you believe that mindfulness just doesn’t work for you? If so, you may have misunderstood the concept. Some people struggle with meditation and assume that that is the long, tall, and short of mindfulness. However, meditation is just one aspect of it.
Mindfulness is actually a way of bringing yourself back to the present moment, breaking your attachment to anxieties and stress in the process. It is a worldview that helps many people even before they start doing formal practices.
Doing a mindfulness course, especially one in the context of a therapeutic model like dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), can be a huge boost to your coping capabilities.
7. Go Natural
One of the struggles common to everyone these days, even those who have not been addicted to substances, is the lack of connection to the natural world. Our reliance on the built environment and all the technology contained therein can lead to a disillusionment. You may find yourself struggling with finding meaning.
Reconnecting with the natural world can awaken you to the wonder of being alive. Go for a walk and count all of the beautiful things you can see. Find a nearby park and simply observe people, plants, and animals.
8. Practice Gratitude
We tend to have a ‘negativity bias’. It is a natural survival instinct, as we need to protect ourselves against threats. However, it leads to overwhelm when not counterbalanced by the positive.
Identifying and stating what you are grateful for once every day can bring back balance. This does not mean ignoring your difficulties, but rather that you are making sure to pay attention to the good things as well.
Conclusion
For addicts, alcohol and drugs become a coping mechanism. In recovery, it is necessary to build healthy strategies to replace substances. Try the above 8 coping strategies to find your footing during tough times without resorting to the poisoned chalice of substances.
Sources
Cochrane: Mindfulness‐based interventions for substance use disorders
