Early Recovery Anxiety

This topic could be endless, but I will try to keep it focused on 4 of the many anxiety inducing experiences that can occur in recovery.

Underlying/preexisting untreated anxiety
The brain and bodies recovery from the substance.
Time
Living life in a new way

UNDERLYING ANXIETY

Anxiety, like many other mental health symptoms, is often natural in the early stages of recovery. Whether you are trying to reduce, moderate, or abstain the expectation remains the same; you are required to be more present in life to deal with what is going on. For some, the idea of being in a social setting, important life event, etc. without a substance is anxiety provoking in itself. However, know that some of the anxiety may reduce over time just by become more accustomed to life, but you often see an improvement with functioning when cutting down or stopping substances.

THE BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY

PAWS is an acronym that stands for Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome and can effect a variety of aspects of life including mood, memory, etc. its said to normally last between 6-9 months. Classically psychiatrists may not have started any medication until the 6 to 9 month mark. However, nowadays we understand the importance of co-occuring mental health and substance use and focus on both from the beginning. The experience of PAWS is real and can be frustrating at times. However, now that continued efforts to abstain will yield results in time.

TIME

I have had many people describe that once they got into recovery they experienced varying fluctuations between anxiety and boredom. In my personal opinion they are both an experience of restlessness with life and an uncertainty of how to live without the substance being so prevalent in life. This is often due to the fact that for many substances took up a lot of that persons day. The amount of hours spend thinking about the substance, finding the substance or finding opportunities to use the substance, and actually using the substance could take up large portions of the day. So now the person has a lot of time and not a lot of certainty with what they would like to do with it. This can leave them feeling restless, without excitement, or even joy. Finding ways to fill this time with what life has to offer can be a tricky experience, but finding

LIFESTYLE CHANGE

I have worked with many people who describe anxiety around major milestones within recovery and life. Some may be time related like anxiety around being 1 month or 1 year sober, while other may be related to attending your first family holiday party while sober. Going through these experiences has the potential to provoke cravings or urges. Wanting to celebrate a milestone like a sober anniversary date or a job promotion, or witnessing relatives or friends drinking at a holiday party can difficult. At its core my belief is that reducing, moderating or abstaining from substances is the beginning, not the end goal. Taking part in recovery allows you to work on finding a great quality of life and a life you want to live. This is daunting task that evokes anxiety, but there are many things you can do each day to help out. Let us discuss a few.

WHAT TO DO?

The short answer is “do what works”. However, there will be a trial and error period to find those things that work. It is my belief that whatever you do keep your focus on one idea, “Receiving support in order to find a life that brings you a sense of peace.” There is a big difference between living and surviving. These are a few ideas to get you started:

Finding connection and community

For many years we did not have much by way of substance use treatment outside of the self help community. Alcoholics Anonymous started in 1935 and for many this was one of the only options to receive substance use treatment. One of the key successes of the self help community was its ability to create community and connection. I would like to note that community and connection are often two major components you may lose in the middle of substance use. Having support in your recovery is critical because you feel less anxious when you know that you do not have to work on your substance use alone.

You may want to explore the options within the self help community (AA, NA, SMART Recovery, etc.), but do not stop there. You may want to find connection in your local community, family or friends again. Know that it may take some time to potentially rebuild connection and trust within these relationships, but also know you still need and deserve connection in your life. Finding connection and community may be recovery focused (at least one component to your “recovery puzzle” should be recovery focused. This enables you to at least have an avenue to speak about your recovery, ie. Like when a craving or urge happens.), but it can also be interest focused.

Explore hobbies, interests and passions

These are not just distractions from your anxiety, but ways for you to feel more connected with your true interests and potentially with others in your community that may share in this interest. Do you like to hike? I am sure there is a group in your area. Do you like to fly drones to take aerial photos? There are probably more people in your area than you think that enjoy the same thing. Spending less time using substances means you have more time in the day. How would you like to use it and who would you like to spend that time with. Having a variety of connections in our life enhances our quality of life.

Working with providers to reduce anxiety

Individual therapy, group therapy and psychopharmacology are ways to help bring compassionate understanding to substance use, develop ways to cope with this anxiety, and work on any underlying issues to help reduce anxiety over time. With any of these components I view them as pieces a puzzle. For example, you may go on a regimen of anti-anxiety medication for a period of time to allow you to take part more in elements of community or therapies. In turn, development of community and skills within therapy could help to reduce your anxiety over time so you can adjust those medications to the point of potentially coming off of all medications. Or, you may find that being on medications long term is a piece of your care that helps “complete the puzzle”. Either way, providers like therapists and psychiatrists are there to work with you to find out what works for you.

These are just 3 of the many options to pick from. Yes, reducing or stopping substance use gives you a lot of you time back in your daily life. Take the time to explore what works for you, it will be worth it.

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