Mental Health Awareness Month: Legacy Healing in Margate Teaches Coping Skills for Addiction Recovery

Margate, Florida -

Legacy Healing Center in Margate, Florida is supporting the Mental Health Awareness Month campaign by publishing an article on healthy coping skills and good mental health. Healthy coping mechanisms are especially important for those who are recovering from addiction and the effects of substance abuse.

It can be difficult for people in recovery to stay sober without the right tools, especially with the current situation surrounding COVID-19. Because May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it is a good opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and the various ways to stay healthy during these stressful times.

People in recovery have used substances in the past to try and cope with stress. Though it numbs them down and helps them forget about their problems, they are not dealing with stress in a healthy or sustainable way.

Long term sobriety requires new healthy coping skills that manage stress and deal with its underlying causes. By practicing healthy coping skills, individuals in recovery can cultivate good mental health and resilience. It empowers them to overcome challenges, and better handle life’s challenges. It also enables them to easily bounce back from inevitable difficulties and setbacks.

Having poor mental health and a lack of healthy coping skills can lead to undesired effects such as relapse.

Mental health is just as vital as physical health. Just like the body, the mind also needs nurturing and cultivation. It is like a muscle that needs to be exercised so that it remains strong and flexible.

Life can sometimes be overwhelming; it can upset the balance of a person’s mental state. It is even more challenging for a person in recovery because they are used to drinking or taking drugs when they feel stressed. They go through the same hardships and feel difficult emotions such as sadness, frustration, and anxiety. But these emotions make recovery even more challenging for them.

Having good mental health is not about avoiding stress or never being upset. Everyone goes through tough times. Good mental health is all about being able to face adversity and then having the resilience to bounce back.

Mentally healthy people can recover from stressful challenges the same way physically healthy people are better able to recover from injuries and illnesses. When faced with a difficult obstacle, they can use healthy coping skills to handle it.

Developing good coping skills is a necessity for those in recovery. It is an essential part of the journey towards sobriety. In fact, one of the main contributing factors that lead to substance abuse is a lack of healthy coping mechanisms.

Coping skills are either adaptive or maladaptive. These are the ways people try to manage the stress in their life. Adaptive coping skills increase a person’s functioning while decreasing their perceived level of stress. On the other hand, maladaptive coping skills are the opposite: they relieve symptoms, but only temporarily, and without actually addressing the root causes of stress.

Maladaptive coping skills include behaviors like substance abuse, gambling, and social withdrawal. Most behaviors that postpone having to deal with stress are maladaptive.

Developing healthy, adaptive coping strategies is one of the most important components of building good mental health. In the long run, it can ensure a successful recovery for those who are struggling or recovering from addiction. Proper stress management lessens its negative impact.

More importantly, for people in recovery, learning how to properly cope with stress replaces old and unhealthy avoidance behaviors like drinking and using drugs.

Healthy coping skills include exercise, getting enough sleep, going to therapy, practicing meditation, and seeking help from support groups and the community.

Taking care of the body is also a good way to take care of the mind. Studies show that exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Getting regular aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce tension, elevate and stabilize mood, and improve self-esteem.

The brain chemicals associated with deep sleep are the same ones that tell the body that it’s okay to calm down and relax. Therefore getting enough sleep at night causes the body to reduce its production of stress hormones.

Mental health professionals are trained to give clients a fresh perspective of their problems. They can help people in recovery to better understand their own emotions so that they can work through their situation and everyday struggles in a healthier way.

For stressful moments, meditation can be a quick fix. It helps people get centered. As a daily practice, it helps build long term mental health and resilience to stress.

AA and NA meetings provide fellowship with others who can relate to the experience of addiction and recovery. Attending 12 step meetings is an essential coping strategy for anyone in recovery. It reminds people that they are not alone in their suffering. It can help them open up about their feelings when life gets tough, as well as learn from the experiences of others who have been through the same challenges.

Finding a support system is invaluable when it comes to addiction recovery. Spending time with people who love and support the recovering individual can reinforce healthy habits.

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed in the month of May in the United States. The campaign was first launched in 1949, and was created by the organization Mental Health America. Observed annually, this campaign follows different themes every year and reaches millions of people through the media, local events, and screenings. This year’s theme is “Tools 2 Thrive”, and it provides practical tools that anyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the challenges they are dealing with.

Mental Health Awareness Month’s goals are in line with Legacy Healing Center’s mission to help patients achieve long-term success in recovery. The addiction treatment center, which has locations in Margate, Delray Beach, and Pompano Beach, Florida, is taking this opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of healthy coping skills and cultivating good mental health.

Legacy Healing’s behavioral health programs utilize an individualized, client-centered approach designed to lay a solid foundation for anyone who wants to recover. For help with addiction, please call Legacy Healing Center today.