The Willows at Red Oak Recovery® in Asheville, North Carolina, proudly provides comprehensive and compassionate treatment for women living with addiction, mental health disorders, or both. Our team teaches coping skills for women so they can rely on their knowledge and self-confidence instead of drug or alcohol use when stress and pressure arise in their lives. Our therapeutic approach to healing helps to identify substance abuse triggers and coping skills that can benefit women for years after treatment. For more information about how The Willows at Red Oak Recovery® can help you or a woman in your life learn coping skills for substance abuse, reach out to our team online or at 828.518.6941.

Common Substance Abuse Triggers

A substance abuse trigger can be people, places, or situations that cause someone in addiction recovery to suffer a relapse and return to old patterns of behavior involving drug or alcohol use. Although each person is different, some relatively common substance abuse triggers among those in recovery.

Typical substance abuse triggers include:

• Overconfidence
• Stress
• Social isolation
• Challenging emotions
• Undiagnosed mental health disorders
• Significant life changes, such as a new job or the death of a spouse
• Friends and family members who use drugs or alcohol
• HALT (being hungry, angry, lonely, or tired)

Once these triggers have been identified, it is crucial for the person in recovery to engage in coping skills activities for substance abuse so that they can learn to live without drug or alcohol use.

Relapsing Does Not Equal Failure

While relapse can be a common occurrence in recovery, it is important to remember that it does not equal failure. Women may face unique challenges, such as pressure to fulfill societal expectations or the stress of balancing work and family responsibilities. Rehab centers for women provide a safe space for women to address these challenges and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

Learning to combat triggers and cope with stress is an essential part of recovery. Women can benefit from the support and guidance of other women who are going through similar experiences in a rehab center for women. This sense of community can be invaluable, as women often feel isolated and alone while struggling with substance misuse.

Coping Skills for Substance Abuse

The good news is that coping skills for substance abuse triggers can keep people in recovery on the right track and away from drug or alcohol use.

Some of the most effective coping skills for substance abuse include:

• Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a way of thinking that keeps someone in the present moment. This idea is crucial, especially during addiction recovery, because mindfulness can help people avoid reliving past trauma and worrying about the future. One of the easiest methods to practice mindfulness is through meditation.
• Journaling – Writing in a journal daily, including creating a gratitude list, helps those in recovery organize their thoughts and release stress through self-expression. Also, journaling gives people in recovery the chance to take stock of their journey and what they must do to stay on the right track.
• Exercise – One of the most effective coping skills for substance abuse is exercise. Daily exercise relieves stress, decreases symptoms of depression, and enhances the self-confidence of a person in recovery. Further, setting and achieving fitness goals shows someone in addiction recovery that positive change is possible when they work diligently.
• Volunteering – One of the best ways to feel about yourself is to help others. Volunteering once or twice a week in an afterschool program or senior center gives people in recovery a sense of something greater than themselves.
• Staying busy – When someone in recovery has too much time to themselves, the chances of relapse skyrocket. An excellent way of coping with substance abuse triggers is to ensure that a daily schedule is highly structured and filled with activities.

At The Willows at Red Oak Recovery®, we understand the importance of developing ways to cope with substance abuse triggers.

Call The Willows at Red Oak Recovery® to Start Healing

Our team at The Willows at Red Oak Recovery® is dedicated to promoting the mental and physical well-being of women living with addiction, mental health disorders, or both. Our comprehensive approach to treatment ensures that each woman with us receives the precise level of care she needs to enjoy genuine, long-lasting recovery. If you’re curious about how our programs and services can help you or someone you care about feel better physically and psychologically, contact us online or call 828.518.6941 to learn about triggers and coping skills for addiction.