6 Tips For Coping With Depression In Sobriety That Really Work

Maintaining sobriety may be difficult, particularly for a person who is also coping with the pressures and stresses of regular life and other external factors. Maintaining sobriety while also juggling the demands of one’s professional and personal life may be quite challenging at times. This may put people at risk of developing depression or making their existing symptoms worse if they already have depression. 

In addition, many people in recovery from drug misuse also struggle with co-occurring disorders related to mental health. In point of fact, in 2014, 7.9 million individuals in the United States were diagnosed with a drug use disorder in addition to another mental health problem. In light of the aforementioned by Gratitude Lodge, it is well known that one of the most prevalent mental health issues that people who are recovering from addiction experience is depression.

How to Cope Depression in Sobriety

You don’t need to turn to drugs or alcohol in order to find healthy methods to deal with the symptoms of depression since there are a lot of healthy coping strategies available. Let’s have a look at a couple of them, shall we?

• Get in Touch with a Sober Support

Individuals are instructed that it is very important to seek assistance from their contemporaries throughout the recovery process. This is due to the fact that rehabilitation is a social program. Those who struggle with substance abuse should surround themselves with sober companions willing to listen, provide guidance, and provide emotional support.

As a result of this, people who are clean and sober but are still struggling with depression should never hesitate to seek out to their sober supporters. While depression during sobriety is relatively common, it should not be too difficult for you to receive helpful counsel and discover good coping techniques from your friends who are also in recovery.

• Maintain a Diary or Journal

Writing in a diary is yet another effective method for overcoming depression when sober. In point of fact, keeping a diary is one of the strategies that are most often mentioned and encouraged by mental health specialists. This is due to the fact that recording your thoughts and emotions on paper allows you to acquire an objective perspective on the circumstance that you are in. Individuals are able to comprehend that their feelings are genuine, while also learning the skills necessary to move with their experiences on their own. 

In addition, keeping a diary about how you are feeling in response to a traumatic experience or tragic event is believed to kickstart the processing phase of the healing process. So, writing down your feelings of despair when you are sober in a notebook may provide you the opportunity to take an honest look at how you are feeling, which can ultimately help you move on from those emotions.

Sometimes, depression occupies a person’s whole existence. Those in recovery are put in an incredibly precarious position as a result of this because they run the risk of being negligent in their efforts to maintain their sobriety. If you feel as if your sadness is taking over your life, it may be helpful to focus your attention on something more upbeat. This may include things like taking up a new hobby, going to the gym, helping out in your community, and engaging in a variety of other constructive pursuits.

• Seek the Assistance of Professionals

Since depression is a problem related to mental health, receiving therapy from a trained expert may at times be necessary. If you find that you are depressed despite your sobriety, it may be time to seek the assistance of a trained mental expert. Many people avoid receiving professional therapy for their mental health problems because they experience feelings of shame or embarrassment while discussing their illness. This may be exceedingly harmful since severe depression in sobriety can lead to relapse and even premature death in certain cases.

Individuals who suffer from depression often struggle with low self-esteem; thus, discovering strategies to feel better about themselves is an essential component of therapy for the condition. Maintain a good mental attitude by training your mind to concentrate on the positive aspects of yourself. Alterations to your lifestyle, such as adopting a healthier diet, being more physically active, and surrounding yourself with positive people who appreciate you for who you are, may also help you feel better about yourself and boost your self-esteem.

It is essential for your mental health that you get a sufficient amount of sleep each night. Depression is often accompanied by observable sleep abnormalities, in which the individual either sleeps excessively or not enough. Have a consistent routine for when you go to bed and when you get up, and don’t ever cut down on your sleep time. Your depressive symptoms will be made worse by feeling worn down, which will also make it more challenging for you to engage in social activities, obtain exercise, and handle stress.