It’s not uncommon for individuals who enter treatment to struggle with anger – the early days are after all an emotional rollercoaster with great highs and lows.
One of the many reasons why anger is seen so often in drug addiction treatment is because substance abuse is often the result of trauma. You may have started taking drugs because you were abused as a child for example. Being high allowed you to numb your traumatic feelings but once you’re in therapy, you’re forced to address the underlying cause of your addiction and this can of course be painful.
Alternatively, perhaps it was an inability to deal with emotions such as anger that led you into addiction in the first place. In the past you will have used substance abuse as a coping strategy but now this option is no longer available to you, it’s not surprising that this continues to be a problem once you’re in recovery.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that anger is one of the most frequently used excuses for why individuals relapse. Emotions build up over time and people are unable to think rationally which puts them at real risk of relapse. You may for example be so angry that you think you no longer care about your recovery and completely forget about how much work you’ve put into staying clean.
It’s important that people in recovery learn new ways to manage anger – it must never be allowed to fester until it derails you. Below we have highlighted four ways to cope with anger in drug addiction recovery.
Find a healthy way to vent
When you seek drug addiction help, it’s crucial that you establish healthy and effective ways of releasing feelings of anger. A few great examples include:
- Practicing mindfulness or meditation – allowing yourself time to reflect not only calms you down, it also puts things into perspective and allows you to understand your emotions better
- Regular exercise can help to release pent up frustrations
- Have someone you can talk to when you’re feeling wound up
- Walk away from the situation that has upset you and don’t return until you’ve calmed down
- Concentrate on your breathing and count to 10. Taking a moment to gather your thoughts, separate yourself from the situation and consider another person’s point of view can make a big difference to how you react.
Establish what’s causing your anger
If irrational outbursts of anger are common, it’s important that you identify what’s causing them. Perhaps it’s an unresolved issue from your past, maybe you’re angry at yourself for falling into addiction, maybe you’re struggling to cope with the emotions you’re being forced to address or it could also be a sign that something isn’t right in your recovery. At this point, it’s important to speak to a trusted friend or your counsellor so you can decide on ways of coping with your anger.
Learn new ways to communicate
There are productive ways to communicate anger which don’t escalate situations. Fostering communication skills can help you to express yourself more effectively and improve relationships with others. Assertiveness training can also be a great way to learn how to express yourself rather than hold everything in until you can’t cope anymore.
Avoid toxic situations
Specific environments, people and situations can trigger emotional responses. If you’re aware that a certain person deliberately tries to wind you up for example, avoiding them can help you minimize the risk of relapse.
If you would like to speak to a drug addiction counsellor, please feel free to contact Toronto Trauma and Addiction Counselling in the strictest of confidence and we will be more than happy to help.
