Recovery from a drug and alcohol addiction is difficult on its own, but coping with an emotionally stressful event like a breakup can make this process even more challenging. The end of a relationship, especially a long-term one, can lead to depression, insecurity, grief, and anger – all of which can lead to relapse. Emotional stress from breakups can be painful to manage while you’re in recovery, but you can take some actions to reduce your chances of relapse.
Allow Yourself Time to Grieve
Many people tend to put up an emotional wall after a breakup, but holding in your emotions can cause you to blow up and potentially relapse at a later time. It is normal to feel hurt, sad, insecure, and betrayed after a breakup – the best thing to do is to allow yourself to grieve. A breakup is a loss. Take time to cry and mourn the end of the relationship for a couple of days – after this period, you can begin to move forward.
Surround Yourself With a Support System
Not only is a support system vital to recovery in general, but a good group of trusted friends and family can help you recover from a breakup. Reach out to people who do not remind you of your ex and who can help lift you up in your time of need. Contact people you know who will listen to you and who can help you fend off relapse urges.
If you are unable to find a good support system, reach out to a therapist or counselor. Speaking to a professional can help you find healthy strategies to cope with the strong emotions associated with recovery and breakups alike.
Take Time to Pamper Yourself
When you suffer a breakup and feel strong emotions, your first instinct may be to use alcohol or drugs again. You should not give in to these urges – you have worked hard to reach the stage of recovery that you are in right now. However, you should feel free to take time to indulge and pamper yourself.
Order some of your favorite foods, go to a spa, watch your favorite television show, and take a day or two to focus on yourself and things that make you happy. This will help you take a break from the situation and focus on your own enjoyment, without the use of drugs and alcohol.
Change Up Your Physical Appearance
Another common strategy for coping with a breakup is to change your physical appearance in some way. Doing so can help boost your confidence and help you feel better about yourself, as well as signal that you are moving forward with your life. Try a new hairstyle or a new hair color. Go for a manicure or pedicure at a local salon. Purchase a new pair of shoes or item of clothing that makes you feel good.
Refrain from making drastic changes to your appearance during this period – temporary or reversible changes are preferable to going in for plastic surgery or getting a new tattoo, which could end in disaster or further remind you of the breakup. The purpose of changing your physical appearance should be to make you feel confident and good about yourself.
Exercise on a Regular Basis
After a breakup, we can fall into a deep depression and fail to take care of ourselves – including regular exercise. However, physical activity can help you improve your mood and naturally reduce your stress. Make sure to exercise at least once a day for 30 minutes.
You don’t need to hit the gym to get your daily exercise: go on a hike, run around your block, or visit your local swimming pool to do some laps. If you have trouble leaving the house, you can do some light walking and exercises at home.
Reconnect With Old Friends and Family
Over the course of a relationship, you can lose touch with old friends and family members you spent time with beforehand. Battling with addiction can also have the same effect. If you haven’t seen or spoken to some good friends in a while, take some time after the breakup to reach out and make plans. These meetings will help you reduce feelings of loneliness and ease the pain of the breakup. Stay away from people who could trigger your former drug or alcohol use.
Spend Time With Your Furry Friends
If you have a pet, they can work wonders for your mental health. Pets can act as companions when we are feeling lonely, provide unconditional love when we feel insecure, and give us a sense of responsibility and purpose when the world seems bleak. Pets can help lower our stress levels, increase our happiness, and decrease our feelings of isolation.
Spend time with your furry friends after your breakup. Take your dog for regular walks and play with them outside. Stroke your cat and purchase some new toys, such as a laser pointer or wand, to get some playtime in. Spending time with your pet will remind you of your responsibilities to take care of them and help you feel loved and less stressed, reducing your risk of relapse.
Volunteer in Your Community
Giving back to a cause you believe in can help you forget about the breakup for a little while, and feel good about helping others at the same time. Visit your local homeless shelter or soup kitchen, clean up trash around the community, or help fundraise for a local nonprofit. Volunteering can help put your breakup into perspective and help you stay away from the negative emotions that could lead to relapse.
Seek Professional Treatment From Windmill Wellness Ranch
These tips can help you stay away from relapse after a breakup, but recovery is not always a straight line. If you do experience a relapse after your breakup, do not panic – you can get back on the road to recovery again. Seek professional treatment from Windmill Wellness Ranch as soon as possible.
Our Canyon Lake, Texas facility offers comprehensive and holistic programs to assist you with your drug or alcohol recovery. We offer numerous treatment programs, as well as assisted detox, to allow you to develop the skills you need to achieve sobriety. At Windmill Wellness Ranch, you can take part in numerous therapies to benefit your physical and mental health, including:
Contact Windmill Wellness Ranch today to learn more about our programs and how to enroll at our facility in Canyon Lake.
Created specifically for those who have loved ones that struggle with addiction.