Have you ever experienced “buyer’s remorse”, jumped to conclusions or let your temper get the best of you – only later to berate yourself for not thinking things through? While there are only so many hours in the day to plan each next step, a repeated pattern of impulsive behavior can become a destructive force in your life that makes you feel out of control, erratic and unpredictable. Not a healthy way to live.
Controlling your behavior is an important aspect of living an emotionally stable and healthy lifestyle and it is a life skill that is especially critical for those on a path to addiction recovery. By training your brain to recognize the leading indicators of impulsive behaviors, you can apply those same skills to reduce your risk of addiction relapse.
Here Are 3 Strategies You Can Use to Become More Mindful and Less Impulsive Throughout the Day.
(1) Make a list of the impulsive behaviors that you want to correct. But, the goal here isn’t to strive for “perfection”. Just think about the types of behaviors you can change that will have the most positive impact on your life.
(2) Identify the triggers that lead to those impulsive decisions. For example, do you want to cut back on making impulsive purchases can start saving money towards a new car? Think about the people, places or emotions that typically are associated with spending money on things you don’t really need. Sometimes, the simple act of recognizing your behaviors can help you curb your impulsive instincts to react.
(3) Take a mental health break. If you do start to feel “wound up” and exposed to some of your impulsive behavior triggers, make the choice to take a step back and remove yourself from the situation. Chances are, you’ll be able to calm down, become more mindful of your emotions and take a more rational approach to your actions.
Access Comprehensive Addiction Treatment While Addressing Behavioral Health Issues
Many individuals struggling with chemical dependency are also dealing with mental illness. When addiction co-occurs with other disorders, clients require a specialized addiction recovery plan. 10 Acre Ranch counselors, social workers, and addiction specialists can help clients manage both diagnoses to optimize the chance of treatment success.
To learn more about our CA men’s rehab program and how we can help, call 10 Acre Ranch at (877) 228-4679 today.
