Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest factors that can lead someone toward addiction. Once an addiction develops, stress and anxiety can worsen someone’s substance abuse or make it hard for a recovering addict to stay sober.

Being resilient against these feelings can help people stay away from drugs and alcohol and help recovering addicts resist temptations. In this post, we will go over some practical and healthy ways that someone can manage their stress and anxiety.

Physical Activity: Doing some form of exercise for at least 20 minutes 3-4 times a week is a great way of dealing with stress and anxiety. Physical activity helps rid the body of high levels of stress hormones like cortisol that can build up over time and create stress-related illnesses in our bodies. Physical activity also increases the amount of “feel good” chemicals in the body, resulting in higher levels of energy and improved moods.

Sunshine: Getting lots of sunshine increases the amount of vitamin D in the body, boosting your immune system, improving cognition, and warding off a lot of symptoms related to depression or anxiety.

Limit Stimulants: Substances like caffeine, nicotine, and sugar increase heart rate. An increased heart rate can make people feel anxious, so limiting these substances can be beneficial.

Digital Detox: The internet is filled with a lot of fear-provoking news that can release high levels of stress hormones into the body. Too much screen time can also make people feel disconnected, resulting in the release of stress hormones as well. Taking breaks from your phone can help you feel more present, improve sleep, and give you more time for the things that are truly important to you.

Meditation: Whether you’re practicing a religion or looking for a wind-down, meditation is a great form of stress and anxiety relief. There are many videos and apps that can give you step-by-step instructions to guide you through meditation. If audio is involved in the meditation, it’s recommended that you use earbuds to limit the number of distractions around you.

Clean and organize: There are several studies that report how a dirty area can cause stress levels to rise. If you have a dirty room, drawer, or closet, give it a clean! Cleaning and organizing use energy that relieves stress, helping us clear our minds and feel accomplished.

These are only a few recommendations, but if you are feeling stressed or anxious, play around with different methods to see which one works best for you! Everyone is different, and just because one method works well for one person, it doesn’t always mean it will work for the next person. If a method is safe and healthy, give it try the next time you’re feeling stressed or anxious.