Legacy Healing Center in Pompano Beach Teaches Stress Management for People in Recovery

In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, Legacy Healing Center in Pompano Beach, Florida published an article on stress management and healthy coping skills for people in recovery. Legacy Healing Center is committed to helping people stay on the path to sobriety despite the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19.

The Pompano Beach treatment center is raising awareness of mental health issues—something that many people in recovery are dealing with. Developing healthy coping mechanisms can allow recovering individuals to stay resilient during these difficult times.

Poor mental health is one of the reasons why people use illicit substances. People in recovery have used substances in the past to try to cope with stress by numbing themselves and forgetting about their problems. But long term sobriety requires proper stress management and healthy coping skills. Treatment and rehab are focused on addressing the underlying causes of addiction—as well as teaching clients how to remain sober.

Practicing healthy coping skills can cultivate good mental health, which is essential for maintaining long term sobriety. It empowers individuals to better handle stress, overcome the challenges of daily life, and bounce back from difficulties and setbacks. The inability to do so can lead to problems and even relapse.

Good mental health requires continuous nurturing and cultivation. Just like the body, the mind needs to be exercised. Because life is full of challenges that can upset the balance of a person’s mental state, taking care of your mental health is as important as staying physically healthy.

Hardships can overwhelm a person from time to time. It is normal to go through difficult emotions like sadness, frustration, and anxiety. But with proper stress management, people can rise above the challenges.

Just as physically healthy people are better able to recover from injuries and illnesses, people with strong mental health have practiced healthy coping skills and are good at using them to handle potentially stressful challenges.

Substance abuse can be attributed to a lack of healthy coping skills. Psychologists describe coping skills as behaviors employed to try to manage stress. However, not all coping skills are healthy. Coping skills can be categorized as either adaptive or maladaptive.

Adaptive coping skills increase a person’s functioning while decreasing their perceived level of stress. Maladaptive coping skills on the other hand only relieve symptoms temporarily and don’t address the root causes of stress. Maladaptive coping skills can include substance abuse, gambling, and social withdrawal.

In order to achieve long term success in recovery, patients need to learn how to develop healthy, adaptive coping strategies. It is one of the most important components of building good mental health. It is all about dealing with stress and not just avoiding it. This reduces the negative impact of stress in people’s lives.

More importantly, people in recovery can benefit from healthy coping mechanisms because they replace unhealthy behaviors like drinking and using drugs, which only make the problem worse.

Exercise releases endorphins, which are the body’s natural painkillers. Studies show that regular aerobic exercise can reduce tension, elevate and stabilize mood, and improve self-esteem.

Getting enough sleep at night causes the body to reduce its production of stress hormones. The brain chemicals associated with deep sleep are the same ones that tell the body it is okay to calm down and relax.

Meditation is considered a quick fix for stressful moments. It helps people get centered and relaxed. If done as a daily practice, it can help build long term mental health and resilience to stress.

Mental health professionals can provide a fresh perspective on issues in one’s daily life. They are trained to help people better understand their own emotions and how to work through stressors and challenges in a healthier way.

Finding a strong support system can work wonders for a person’s mental health. It is important to spend time with people who support and share one’s healthy habits. Good friends and supportive family members are there to listen and lend a helping hand when life’s inevitable challenges come up. Building strong relationships with positive people will help reinforce one’s sober lifestyle.

Attending 12-step meetings is an essential coping strategy for anyone in recovery. AA and NA meetings create a sense of community and provide fellowship with others who can relate to the experience of addiction and recovery. During meetings, those in attendance can open up about their feelings when life gets tough, learning from the experiences of others who have learned how to deal with stress without relapsing.

Mental Health Awareness Month was first observed in the United States in 1949 and has been observed annually in the month of May ever since. The campaign reaches millions of people through the media, local events, and screenings. Mental Health Awareness Month was created by the organization Mental Health America.

It follows a different theme every year, with this year’s theme being “Tools 2 Thrive”. This refers to practical tools that anyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the challenges they are dealing with.

Legacy Healing Center helps patients achieve long term success in recovery. This is why the goal of Mental Health Awareness Month is in line with Legacy Healing’s own goals for the people in their care. Learning healthy coping skills and cultivating good mental health prevents relapse. It is, therefore, a critical piece in achieving long term sobriety.

Legacy Healing Center’s behavioral health programs in Pompano Beach use an individualized, client-centered approach designed to lay a solid foundation for anyone who wants to recover. For help with addiction, please call Legacy Healing Center today.