Don’t Let Stress Hurt Your Sobriety

Failed relationships, family conflicts, financial trouble, job competition or loss, health concerns – these are just a few of the many stressors that you’ll likely deal with in life. Unfortunately, stress is inevitable – and uncontrolled stress can have a serious impact on your overall health as well as your path toward sobriety.

Stress may even have contributed to your addiction in the first place. Many men try to self-medicate their stress or poor mental health with illicit drugs, binge drinking or promiscuous sexual acts. Of course, this tends to backfire and cause a vicious circle. These dangerous behaviors actually cause more stress. What’s more, stress is the leading cause of relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Men under stress are also more likely than women to be diagnosed with the following health concerns:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Heart attack

Stress-Busting Tips for Men
Luckily, a few steps can help tame those tensions and keep you calm. Start with these three:

Surround yourself with people who “get” you. Peer support can be a powerful stress reliever. At 10 Acre Ranch, our social treatment model facilitates fellowship and fun as clients support one another throughout the recovery process. Clients live together, prep meals together and attend support group sessions.

Find a healthy escape. It’s okay to take a time-out from daily life and push your stressors aside as you enjoy healthy recreation. Taking up a new sport or activity can be a hugely effective way of fighting off bad habits. Maybe joining something like a tennis league could be a great way to let off some extra steam. At 10 Acre, fun is a big part of our rehab. Clients participate in a variety of off-site activities, including:

• Pizza and movie night
• Hikes and nature walks
• Softball tournaments
• Swimming and ping pong

Make time to meditate. Meditation has been study-proven to reduce stress, blood pressure and fatigue. Our daily mediation sessions help our male clients begin the day with a quiet, open mind. You’ll learn to calm anxiety and tension with slow, focused breathing.

Stress Management at 10 Acre
Developing healthy stress relievers improves wellbeing and hastens recovery success. At 10 Ace Ranch, we offer stress management groups to help manage your anxiety without addictive substances and/or behaviors. To learn more, call today: 877-228-4679.