Stress management doesn’t come naturally to most people. It’s a set of skills we must develop and maintain throughout our lifetimes. Life stressors often play a role in the development of opioid use disorder (OUD), especially when people don’t have the resources or skills to manage stress in healthy ways. When you start using opioids to reduce your stress, you may lose some of your stress tolerance. This means you might feel more sensitive to stress. Once you’ve started the recovery process, finding stress management strategies that work for you can help you meet your goals.
Stress shows up in different ways for each individual, and we all respond to our stress differently. Both factors — the things that cause us stress and the way we respond — influence the amount of stress we experience. If you didn’t learn healthy ways to cope with stress early in life, there’s still hope. It’s never too late to start learning new stress management strategies.
In this blog post, we’ll share eight stress management techniques that may help your recovery of OUD.
What’s the role of stress in OUD and recovery?
In addition to their euphoric effects, opioids are also great stress relievers in the short term. Stress and opioid use influence each other, creating a vicious cycle. Research shows that stress can make people more vulnerable to addiction and cravings. The effects of opioids on the brain and nervous system also heighten the brain and body’s reactions to stress. When you have a high tolerance for opioids, experiencing the least amount of stress can make you want to use again.
Heightened stress reactivity in people who have OUD is associated with worse treatment outcomes. It can make you more likely to use again or drop out of treatment. Fortunately, with practice, you can change the way you respond to stress and build up your emotional resilience. You’ll need stress management techniques that help you manage the thoughts, feelings, physical reactions, and behaviors that make up your stress responses.
Because opioids are often used as a pain treatment, chronic pain and traumatic experiences are common among people who take them. Both can be causes of ongoing stress when people don’t receive adequate treatment. People who have these conditions can benefit from learning about pain and stress management techniques to complement any medication they’re taking. Feeling empowered to manage their symptoms can help them achieve better outcomes.
8 stress management techniques that may help you during your recovery
Stress that seems impossible to deal with can create a more intense emotional and physical reaction. At the same time, your body’s reaction to stress can make it hard to access the rational, logical part of your brain. Working on stress management strategies helps you interrupt these automatic responses.
Using stress management techniques like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation regularly is like building up stress management muscles. Body-based techniques work best when paired with therapy to help you reframe stressful situations in your mind. Slowing down your emotional response, labeling your thoughts and feelings, and practicing acceptance can help you to handle stress more effectively. Eventually, you’ll build up a tolerance for stress. You can keep working toward your goals without stopping to seek relief.
Try the following techniques to help you manage stress in your recovery from OUD:
- Breath and body awareness meditation — The most basic forms of meditation and mindfulness involve breath and body awareness. To do this, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and turn your focus to what you can feel in your body. Your breath is one of the most noticeable sensations to tune into. Notice the movement in your chest and belly. Notice the sensations of air moving through your nose, mouth, and lungs. Paying attention to these feelings can help you feel more grounded and present. As other thoughts come up, acknowledge them and then turn back to what you can feel.
- Progressive muscle relaxation — You can do this exercise pretty much anywhere. You’ll focus on each part of your body individually. You’ll squeeze your muscles and then relax them. Start with your toes and feet, clench and release them a couple of times, and try to let all of your tension go. Then move to your lower leg, your thighs, and so on, all the way up to your head. Once you’ve made it all the way through, you can finish with a full-body tense and release.
- Guided imagery meditations — There are many different guided imagery meditations that can help you deal with different kinds of stress. These techniques use visualization to help you process and resolve what you’re feeling. One example is the volcano meditation. You would locate the feelings of stress in your body and imagine that they’re hot lava melting down into the ground below you. Then imagine the lava flowing underground to a volcano in the distance. Finally, watch the volcano erupt, diffusing the lava and your stress along with it.
- Physical exercise and movement — Moving your body can help you process your stress in the moment. Getting regular exercise helps lower your stress level overall. It could be as simple as going for a walk to get some fresh air. You might start a yoga practice or play basketball with your friends. If it gets your heart pumping and you enjoy it, it will probably help relieve your stress.
- 4-7-8 breathing — There’s some evidence that specific breathing patterns may be more effective for calming a stressed nervous system than passive awareness. Specifically, lengthening your exhale is thought to signal to the brain that you’re safe. 4-7-8 breathing puts this in a framework that’s easy to remember. To practice 4-7-8 breathing, inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat until you start to feel calmer and more relaxed. Practicing these breathing methods often may make them more effective over time.
- Journaling and emotional processing — Writing about stressful experiences for about 15 to 20 minutes a day can help make them feel less distressing. To sustain these benefits, you need to journal every day. Writing things down may help you feel like you’re physically getting your thoughts and feelings “out of your system.” Journaling can also be a helpful tool for reflection and self-awareness. Try setting a timer for 15 minutes and start writing about something that’s on your mind. If you end up moving to a different topic, that’s OK. When the time is up, see how you feel and decide if you want to keep going.
- Talking with a friend — Talking about things out loud or “venting” is a lot like journaling. It helps you get your feelings out so you can work through them. Feeling seen and heard by another person can also be therapeutic. Try to identify some friends you feel safe venting to. Always check with them beforehand to see if they have the emotional capacity to listen. You can ask them to help you problem-solve, or you can let them know if you just need them to listen.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — CBT is a flexible yet structured way to build an awareness of how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors interact. You’ll need the help of a licensed therapist or counselor. You may start by talking through the things that are stressing you out and then set some goals to work on together. Talking with a therapist has some specific benefits. Not only do they have to keep your conversations confidential, but they can help you learn about how your brain works. They’re also good for an unbiased point of view.
Get help with stress management for your recovery journey at Groups
Stress plays a significant role in OUD, both in the beginning and as the condition progresses. Building up a set of effective stress management skills and tools is a big part of the recovery process. When you feel capable of handling your stress and well prepared, you can make healthier choices. You’re able to live a life that’s aligned with your values.
It may take some experimentation to find stress management techniques that work for you. Things like mindfulness practices and exercise will help you strengthen your stress management muscles. You’ll also need practices you can use in the moment. Examples include deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Working on your mindset with a therapist or counselor is the final piece. They can help you reframe stressful situations in more helpful ways.
At Groups, our members learn about stress management and talk about their experiences during weekly group sessions. We’ve created a positive and uplifting community to support people on the road to recovery. At the same time, we invite you to come as you are and talk about what’s really on your mind. You never have to pretend to be OK when you’re feeling stressed. We believe authenticity is the best way to true healing.
Are you looking for help with stress management and other aspects of recovery? Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today. You can also contact us with any other questions you have about OUD treatment.
We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our 130+ local offices. If Groups doesn’t offer treatment in your area, you can locate other treatment options here.
