10 Coping Skills to Help You Stay Sober

A common misconception people have about addiction recovery is that it is a linear path: A track that begins with residential or outpatient treatment and becomes increasingly better with time. In reality, recovery from a substance use disorder has its ups and downs. You may face cravings and triggers that make some days more challenging, and staying prepared is essential.

The best way to stay ahead of your substance use disorder symptoms is to learn coping strategies you can use to combat cravings and keep your health on track. Here, we’ll dive into the importance of coping skills and how they can aid someone with relapse prevention.

What Are Coping Skills?

Coping skills are conscious strategies used to repel negative emotions such as anxiety, unwanted urges, and stress. In addiction recovery, coping skills are used to help you cope with small, everyday setbacks as you work to further yourself from your addiction(s).

Examples of common coping strategies for addiction include:

• Meditation
• Attending peer-led support groups
• Getting regular exercise
• Reducing stress with self-care activities
• Identifying and avoiding triggers

The use of evidence-based coping techniques and education has been shown to reduce addiction-related cravings and help people with substance use disorder recognize the signs of relapse before it occurs. The ability to see and stop a potential relapse can help you remain more consistent in your recovery.

10 Coping Strategies for Relapse Prevention

The term “coping skills” covers a broad range of activities that help maintain addiction recovery goals. Here are 10 coping strategy ideas you can tap into to help keep yourself or a loved one on track.

1. Make Gratitude a Daily Practice

Research shows that even just a single act of gratitude can immediately increase your happiness by 10% and reduce depressive symptoms by 35%. Considering depression raises the risk of substance use, learning how to cope with feelings of loneliness or isolation can be pivotal to your recovery. 

Consider starting a gratitude journal. Set aside 10 minutes each day to write about what you’re grateful for. You can list one thing and write why you’re grateful for it, or make it a list format with a goal to list three things each day. Find the rhythm or style that works best for you.

2. Take Care of Your Physical Health

Eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep have all been shown to boost your psychological wellness and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression – which can be triggers for substance use. 

Exercise alone is associated with lower substance use in people with substance use disorder. It also increases self-esteem and self-confidence, which have been shown to protect against substance use.

Build regular exercise into your recovery routine to help you release negative feelings in a healthy, non-destructive way.

3. Find a Therapist Who Works for You

Working with a therapist who has experience counseling those with substance use disorder comes with a host of benefits. For example, it can:

• Help you identify your triggers
• Offer you new perspectives
• Teach you additional coping skills
• Provide you with relapse prevention support

It’s important to find a therapist you trust and “click” with, and this may not always be the first therapist you try. If you feel like you’re not getting enough out of therapy, try switching therapists instead of stopping your sessions.

4. Avoid Known Triggers

Depending on the addiction type, you may face situations, people, or objects that trigger cravings or other unwanted emotions. For example, catching up with friends you used to use substances with could trigger urges to use, or maybe just seeing a lighter or wine glass can be triggering.

Get rid of anything in your home, at work, or in your car that might trigger you, and avoid situations where you know recovery will be harder than usual.

5. Practice Mindfulness

Learning how to stay in the present can help push back cravings and keep your mind busy. Consider trying mindfulness techniques like meditation or yoga. 

Healthy hobbies that you find relaxing – such as gardening, cooking, or solving crossword puzzles – can also be helpful to give your mind a break.

6. Prioritize Self-Care

Self-care refers to doing any activities that contribute to your physical or emotional health. Benefits of self-care include:

• Reduced stress
• Lowered risk of illnesses
• Increased energy
• Improved quality of life

Set aside time during your week to engage in self-care activities you enjoy. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are a few ideas: 

• Take a bath
• Get enough sleep
• Go for a nature walk
• Talk to a friend or family member
• Express yourself creatively
• Read a book

7. Find Substitutions

During recovery, you may run into unexpected triggers that can feel overwhelming. One coping skill you can try in the moment is to find a substitution that helps diminish those feelings. 

For example, if you’re at a party where people are drinking, pour yourself a non-alcoholic beverage into a wine glass or cup to replace the urge to have a drink in your hand. If you’re triggered to smoke, try holding a pencil or straw in place of a cigarette or pipe or pop in a piece of gum. 

You can also talk with your doctor about any medications that may help reduce cravings.

8. Find a Recovery Role Model

What does recovery look like to you? Find someone who is sober and who you look up to and trust, and use their image as an ideal goal for your recovery. Schedule time to talk with them about what coping strategies have worked best in their recovery and any advice they may have, and lean on them for support.

This could be a friend, family member, colleague, peer from a support group, therapist, or anyone who models a healthy recovery for you.

9. Build a Sober Support Network

Sometimes, coping with an addiction might necessitate the need for new social circles. Get peer-to-peer support by attending a 12-step program meeting or another type of peer recovery group, and find people you connect with. Add them to your list of people you can call if you find yourself struggling.

10. Get Help When You Need It

Getting help doesn’t always mean seeking inpatient or outpatient treatment. Many community groups and resources offer free support groups, sliding-scale therapy, and financial help. Contact us for help identifying resources that may aid your recovery.

SoberMind Recovery: Dual Diagnosis Treatment in Los Angeles

SoberMind Recovery in Los Angeles specializes in personalized treatment for those who are battling an addiction alongside another mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, through our Dual-Diagnosis Program. We’re also known for our inclusive LGBTQ+ sober living programs.

No matter where you are in your recovery, it’s important to continue to educate yourself on techniques you can use to get healthy or stay healthy. Check out our blog for more helpful recovery tips.