What Can I Do if I Still Feel Anxious After Treatment?

Every stage of addiction recovery comes with a myriad of new challenges to overcome. Whether an individual is taking their first, tentative step into sobriety in a medical detox program or is preparing to transition to life as an alumnus after graduating from residential treatment, there are always new stresses to overcome. Anxiety is one of these most common challenges. It can be prevalent at any stage of recovery, with many continuing to feel the effects of anxiety even after graduating from a treatment program and returning to the “real world.” While feeling anxious after treatment is completely normal, there are always new strategies that each new alumnus can use to feel less anxious after treatment. 

Anxiety and substance use can be intimately intertwined. For some, persistent and intense feelings of anxiety may have informed a person’s decision to turn to addictive substances in the first place, resulting in the development of addiction. Others may have noticed an increase in their anxiety levels or lessened ability to regulate emotions ars a result of repeated use of drugs or alcohol. However, regardless of how anxiety may have manifested in a person’s journey with addictive substances, it is essential to address its effects. 

As mentioned previously, continuing to feel anxious following treatment is completely normal. Recovery is a constant journey of change, especially as an alumnus graduates from a curated sober environment like the luxury mental health facilities at Hawaii Island Recovery and transitions into a space filled with new stresses, challenges, and people who may not understand or support their sober decision. Stress in the workplace, rebuilding relationships, and creating a new lifestyle and social circle all come with a degree of anxiety. While experiencing anxiety is normal, it is paramount to have a plan to address this ongoing challenge. 

Left unaddressed, feeling anxious after treatment can have several negative effects on a person’s hard-earned sobriety. Some effects of anxiety among alumni include:

Continuing to feel anxious after treatment can also cause an individual to fall back into previously destructive routines and practices, even leading to slips or release in recovery if an individual feels they do not have accessible, effective outlets to process and release anxiety. Having a plan to overcome feeling anxious after treatment can empower each alumnus to continue to further their sober goals and tend to responsibilities like professional obligations, continued outpatient treatment programs, and more. 

Each plan to address feeling anxious after treatment will be unique, following the personalized approach that each person needs to effectively address addiction, mental health disorders, and their continued effects. Working with family, friends, and professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery can empower each person to find the collection of strategies that work best for them to address continued feelings of anxiety after treatment. 

Communication is essential in all kinds of relationships, including the ones that seek to support those navigating their newfound sober lives. Engaging in outpatient treatment and local support groups is paramount to accessing an understanding and supportive community. Being emotionally ready and willing to admit when a person is feeling anxious is the first step toward garnering the support and understanding necessary for an effective plan. 

Many alumni peers may also feel the same way throughout their continued sober journey as an alumnus or have navigated similar challenges and feelings during their transition to life outside a treatment facility. Approaching anxiety with honesty and open discourse can be the best way to take action. 

Life after treatment is difficult, and filled with triggers, stresses, and much more. While developing a daily routine, it can be beneficial to adopt the strategies and structures that have proven to work throughout residential treatment. Keeping consistent morning alarms, mealtimes, self-care routines, and bedtimes can all add necessary structure and predictability that can help address the otherwise entropic nature of anxiety as an alumnus. 

Anxiety can manifest if an individual feels trapped or stagnant in their recovery journey, and keeping an active lifestyle can address these feelings of anxiety throughout recovery. Staying physically active can ensure that anxiety has a place to process while escaping stale routines. Runs, walks on the beach, nature hikes, or even at-home exercise in a peaceful environment are all great strategies to process anxiety. Likewise, keeping mentally engaged is also important, with finding hobbies and pushing oneself to new personal goals all being crucial in overcoming anxiety. 

Journals are incredibly effective in recovery. They can provide each alumnus with a physical space to put down their anxieties, not just recording their feelings and challenges but also the situations and factors that may surround these difficult feelings. Giving words and a tangible form to anxiety can also make it easier to deal with, giving it a definitive shape that can be more intentionally addressed. 

Anxiety and substance use are intimately connected. However, the luxury mental health facilities at Hawaii Island Recovery can help you challenge the continued effects of anxiety in your life today. We understand the need to address not a collection of symptoms but the whole self, with each program personalized to help you explore your unique needs and goals in sobriety. We also take a holistic approach to addressing addiction and anxiety in tandem, addressing co-occurring disorders while also helping you find new ways to process anxiety at any stage of recovery. For more information on how we can support your continued sober change and healing, call to speak to a caring, trained staff member today at (866) 390-5070.