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Mental health issues such as depression, stress and anxiety are common during recovery from addiction. Many people believe that they need to take medication to either prevent these problems or to treat them if they occur. However, medication should be avoided at all costs by those in recovery because it can lead to a relapse. Thankfully, there are many different ways to treat mental health issues in recovery without resorting to medication. It is important to remember that what works for one person may not necessarily work for another, so it is wise to try different methods until one is found that works. Below are a few examples of the methods that can be tried.
Talk about Your Feelings
If you are in addiction recovery and are feeling down or depressed, get out of the house and head to a meeting or your counsellor. Get your feelings out instead of bottling them up. Even if you really do not feel like leaving the house and going to your support group do it as this will help to make you feel better.
If you do not have a support group or meeting that you can attend, speak to your counsellor or a close friend. Sharing your problems will help – it lightens the load and makes it easier for you to bear. If there is no one to talk to when you are feeling down, try writing your feelings down in a journal or go online and speak to members of a forum.
Find Something to Do
Giving in to depression is the worst thing you can do. Even if all you want to do is stay in bed under the covers all day, you should make yourself get up and go out. You will be surprised by how much better you feel once you are up and about. It could be just a walk in the park or you could meet a friend for a coffee or some lunch. By doing something, you will be taking your mind off the feelings that are threatening to drag you down.
Exercise
It is a well-known fact that exercise releases endorphins, which are the feel-good chemicals. Go for a run or a swim at the local gym and you will instantly feel better. You may not feel motivated to do this but once you get going, you will be glad you did.
Relax
You may feel better if you do something relaxing as this will help you to unwind. Yoga is a great way to relax the mind and the body, but there are other activities you could try that will also help relax you. Golfing, hiking, fishing, gardening, and reading are all relaxing activities that will help you to de-stress and feel better.
Make Lists
Making lists is a great way to distract yourself. Write a list of all the things you are thankful for. Think of all the people who have helped you in your journey and write down things that you are looking forward to. You can also make a list of the things that are bothering you. Once you have done this, you can cross off the things that you really do not need to be worrying about there and then. Of whatever is left, think about what you can do to tackle these concerns. You may find that you are worrying needlessly, and it is these worries that are causing you to feel down in the first place. You will be surprised at how much better you feel when you have identified your worries and can begin dealing with them.