What Is a Sober Coach?

A sober coach is a nonclinical recovery support professional who works one-on-one with someone in early sobriety or during a major transition, like stepping down from residential care, PHP, or IOP. The goal is practical: help you stay grounded in recovery routines when real life starts pushing back.

At Futures Recovery Healthcare, we often see how vulnerable this transition period can be. Even with strong clinical care and an aftercare plan, people can benefit from added structure, accountability, and real-time support as they rebuild daily life and protect momentum after treatment.

Why Sober Coaching Exists in the First Place

Early recovery can feel like you are rebuilding everything at once: your schedule, relationships, coping skills, and confidence. That is also when triggers are easiest to underestimate. A sober coach can support that process by helping you translate treatment insights into everyday decisions, especially in situations where relapse risk rises.

What a Sober Coach Does Day to Day

A sober coach is not a therapist and does not replace clinical care. Instead, sober coaching focuses on implementation: turning a plan into action.

Common ways a sober coach may help include:

• Building a realistic daily routine (sleep, meals, movement, appointments, support meetings)
• Creating structure during the most vulnerable hours of the day (evenings, weekends, travel days)
• Practicing relapse prevention skills in the moment, not just in theory
• Supporting accountability around boundaries with people, places, and habits
• Helping families communicate more effectively during early sobriety transitions
• Coordinating with a treatment team when appropriate, with clear privacy boundaries

If you want a clear framework for what an aftercare plan can include, this guide on Creating An Addiction Recovery Plan After Rehab is a strong reference point. 

A quick “fit check” for sober coaching

A sober coach tends to be most useful when the problem is not knowledge, but follow-through.

Featured signs coaching might fit:

• You know what to do, but you struggle to do it consistently.
• Triggers show up in real-world settings, not in a controlled environment.
• Accountability and routine are your biggest gaps right now.

When a Sober Coach is Most Helpful

Not everyone needs sober coaching. Many people build strong recovery with therapy, community support, and consistent routines. Sober coaching becomes valuable when extra support is needed during specific high-risk windows.

1) Transitioning out of treatment

Leaving a structured environment is a common time for anxiety, overconfidence, and decision fatigue to show up. A sober coach can help you keep momentum while you build a support system that does not depend on constant supervision.

2) Returning to a high-pressure lifestyle

Some people go back to demanding careers, social environments with frequent alcohol exposure, or travel-heavy schedules. Coaching can help reduce “white knuckle” sobriety by adding structure and accountability where the pressure is highest.

3) After multiple relapses

If relapse has become part of your history, you may need more layers of support, not more self-criticism. A sober coach can help you identify patterns early and adjust before the situation escalates.

4) Sober living and lifestyle rebuilding

Some people use coaching support alongside sober living to build routines, healthier relationships, and consistent recovery practices. 

Sober Coach vs Therapist vs Sponsor

It helps to know which role is designed to do what:

• Therapist: clinical treatment for mental health, trauma, behavior change, and emotional regulation
• Sponsor or peer support community: guidance through a recovery pathway and long-term accountability
• Sober coach: real-world structure, practical support, and accountability in daily life

Featured reminder: the best outcomes usually come from layered support, with clear boundaries so each person stays in their lane.

How to Choose a Sober Coach

Because “sober coach” is not always a regulated title, vetting matters. Look for a coach who is transparent about training, ethics, and scope.

Questions worth asking before you hire anyone

Use these as your baseline screening checklist:

• What training do you have, and what organization provided it?
• Are you bonded and insured?
• What does your scope include, and what do you not do?
• How do you handle relapse risk or emergencies?
• How do you coordinate with a therapist or treatment team if I have one?
• What does privacy and confidentiality look like in practice?
• Can you provide references or professional verification?

If you want a credentialing benchmark, CCAR outlines the Recovery Coach Professional pathway and training expectations.

Red flags to take seriously

Not every coach is a fit, and some are not safe. Watch for:

• Promising “guaranteed” sobriety outcomes
• Minimizing mental health concerns or discouraging therapy
• Blurry boundaries with money, relationships, or control
• A lack of ethics framework, training transparency, or verifiable experience
• Pressure to use only their services, rather than building your broader support network

Peer support ethics resources can help you understand what professional boundaries should look like, even when the work is nonclinical. 

What Does a Sober Coach Cost?

Costs vary by location, schedule, and intensity. Some people hire a sober coach for a few structured check-ins per week, while others use on-call coverage during travel, major transitions, or early stabilization.

Instead of focusing only on a price tag, clarify the model:

• Is pricing hourly, daily, or packaged?
• Is there an on-call fee?
• What is included (transportation, meetings, planning), and what is extra?
• How often will the plan be reassessed?

The right level of support is the minimum level that keeps you stable and progressing.

How Futures Fits Into a Sober Coaching Conversation

A sober coach is typically one part of a broader recovery plan.If you or a loved one requires structured, integrated treatment for addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders, Futures offers comprehensive, evidence-based programming. Its CORE program provides a holistic approach to recovery, blending medical, psychological, and therapeutic modalities to address the root causes of addiction and support sustainable sobriety. Futures ensures that coaching efforts are reinforced by a strong clinical foundation, promoting long-term well-being and lasting recovery.

Choosing a Sober Coach for Early Recovery Support

A sober coach can be a powerful support when the main gap is day-to-day execution: routines, boundaries, accountability, and getting through high-risk moments without sliding into old patterns. The best coaching relationships are structured, ethically grounded, and coordinated with clinical care when needed.If you are considering a sober companion or recovery coach, focus on fit, scope, and professionalism. The right support should help you build your own recovery system, not depend on the coach forever.

10 Myths About Fentanyl: What to Know and What Helps

Fentanyl is a word people hear in headlines, in emergency warnings, and sometimes in personal, terrifying moments. When fear moves faster than facts, myths fill in the gaps. And those myths can make people less safe, whether they are trying to support someone they love, protect their own health, or decide what kind of help they need.

At Futures Recovery Healthcare we take a simple approach to conversations like this: keep it accurate, keep it human, and keep it useful.

Why Fentanyl Myths Stick

Fentanyl is genuinely dangerous, but the story around fentanyl is often distorted. Misinformation tends to spread when something feels scary, unpredictable, and hard to control.

What tends to fuel confusion

• Fentanyl is potent in very small amounts, which makes people assume “instant” effects in every scenario.
• It is often discussed as one single thing, even though exposure routes and contexts vary.
• Overdose response gets framed as “perfect or pointless,” which is not how real emergencies work.

Myth 1: “Fentanyl only shows up in heroin”

This belief leads people to underestimate risk if they do not think they are “opioid users.” In reality, illicit fentanyl has been found mixed into other drugs and pressed into counterfeit pills.

A clearer way to think about it

• Fentanyl can appear in powders, counterfeit pills, and mixed drug supplies.
• Risk rises when there is no quality control and no reliable dosing.
• “I did not mean to take an opioid” is a common theme in fentanyl-related emergencies.

Myth 2: “You can spot fentanyl by taste, smell, or appearance”

People want an obvious warning sign. Unfortunately, fentanyl is not reliably detectable by looking at a pill or powder.

The practical bottom line

• Visual inspection cannot confirm what is in a drug supply.
• Counterfeit pills can look convincing while still containing fentanyl.
• “It looks legit” is not the same as “it is safe.”

Myth 3: “Touching fentanyl powder will instantly cause an overdose”

The fear here is understandable, especially for parents, first responders, and anyone who has found an unknown substance. Public health guidance emphasizes that overdose from brief, incidental skin contact with fentanyl powder is very unlikely. 

Here’s the important distinction

• Overdose risk is primarily tied to fentanyl getting into the body in a dose that impacts breathing.
• Brief contact on intact skin does not create the same conditions as ingestion or inhalation.
• If you find an unknown substance, avoid direct handling and follow local safety guidance.

Myth 4: “Secondhand fentanyl smoke will cause overdose”

This myth can distract from real dangers and create panic in situations where calm action matters most. In urgent moments, you do not have to solve every detail to respond well. You just need to recognize risk and act quickly.

What matters in real life

• Is someone showing signs of slowed or stopped breathing?
• Is there a known or likely opioid exposure?
• Do we have naloxone available and emergency help on the way?

Myth 5: “Naloxone does not work on fentanyl”

Naloxone (Narcan) does reverse opioid overdoses, including fentanyl overdoses, when given in time. In some fentanyl-involved overdoses, more than one dose may be needed, which is still a reason to give the first dose and call emergency services.

The reality behind the myth

• Give naloxone and call emergency services.
• If breathing does not improve in a few minutes, give another dose per product instructions.
• Stay with the person and keep them on their side if vomiting is a concern.

Myth 6: “If someone wakes up after naloxone, they are totally fine”

Waking up can look like “problem solved,” but it is not always the end of the risk. Naloxone’s effects can wear off, and sedation can return.

The safer takeaway

• Improvement is a good sign, not a finish line.
• Continue monitoring breathing and responsiveness.
• Medical evaluation matters, even when someone seems better.

Myth 7: “Fentanyl overdose always looks dramatic”

Sometimes it does. Sometimes it looks like someone who is “just sleeping,” slumped, or unusually quiet. The key is breathing.

What clinicians focus on

• Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
• Blue or gray lips or fingertips
• Unresponsiveness
• Pinpoint pupils

Myth 8: “Alcohol is safer because it is legal, even with opioids”

Legality does not equal safety. Alcohol and opioids both depress the central nervous system, and combining them can raise overdose risk because breathing can slow too much.

The facts that change the risk

• Mixing substances increases unpredictability.
• Sedation can creep up faster than expected.
• People can underestimate danger when one substance feels “normal.”

Myth 9: “Detox is basically the same for everyone”

Opioid withdrawal and detox planning should be individualized. Health history, co-occurring mental health symptoms, and substance combinations all matter. Even research on fentanyl withdrawal notes that symptom patterns and severity can vary across people.

A more grounded explanation

• Medically supervised detox can help manage withdrawal and monitor complications.
• Dual diagnosis treatment matters when anxiety, depression, or trauma symptoms are also present.
• A plan should match real life, not just a diagnosis.

Myth 10: “If relapse happens, treatment failed”

Relapse is not a moral verdict. For many people, it is a signal that the plan needs to be adjusted, supports strengthened, or underlying drivers like trauma, grief, or untreated anxiety addressed with more precision.

What actually drives progress

• Trauma-informed care that does not punish symptoms
• Practical relapse prevention skills that fit real triggers
• Ongoing support, not just a short burst of help

For people who need higher privacy and concierge-level support as part of a luxury addiction treatment plan in Florida, ORENDA may be an appropriate program to explore: 

Practical Harm Reduction That is Actually Useful

Not everyone reading this is ready for treatment today. Some people are worried about a loved one. Some people are trying to stay alive long enough to choose a different path. Facts should help either way.

Small Steps That Reduce Risk

• Carry naloxone and learn how to use it.
• Consider fentanyl test strips as one layer of risk reduction.
• Avoid mixing opioids with alcohol or other sedatives.
• If you suspect an overdose, respond immediately and do not leave the person alone.

If fentanyl has touched your life, directly or indirectly, you do not need more panic. You need clarity, a few reliable response steps, and a plan that matches what is actually happening. The myths are loud, but the realities are manageable. If you are thinking about treatment, it helps to look for a luxury rehab in Florida that can address opioid use and the mental health drivers underneath it, including trauma, anxiety, and depression. 

You deserve support that is clinically solid and emotionally respectful, not a lecture, not shame, and not guesswork.

What Is Cross Addiction?

Cross addiction occurs when someone overcomes one addiction only to develop another, either switching substances or shifting from a substance to a compulsive, damaging behavior. Unlike dual addiction, cross addiction follows a sequence: stopping the initial substance, feeling stable, then gradually adopting a new habit that serves the same emotional function. 

This transfer can be confusing because the new behavior may appear less harmful, especially if it is legal or socially accepted. Futures Recovery Healthcare, a luxury Florida rehab facility, offers evidence-based, trauma-informed programs for lasting wellness.

Cross Addiction vs. Relapse: Why the Difference Matters

Many people assume cross addiction only “counts” if you return to the original substance. Clinically, that assumption can delay help. If someone leaves alcohol behind but starts gambling heavily, misusing prescriptions, or spiraling into another compulsive pattern, recovery still deserves support and treatment. The behavior is different, but the risk factors and the internal experience can be very similar.

Why Cross Addiction Can Happen

Cross addiction is rarely about weakness or motivation. It is often about unmet needs plus easy access to fast relief.

Addiction affects the brain systems that drive reward and self-control

Many reputable health organizations describe addiction as a chronic condition that involves changes in brain circuits related to reward, motivation, memory, and self-control. For example, New Jersey’s Department of Human Services summarizes addiction as a chronic disease of brain reward and related circuitry, with cycles of relapse and remission that can occur over time. 

When a person removes the original substance, the brain can still remember the “shortcut” that once provided relief, comfort, confidence, stimulation, or numbness. Without strong replacement skills and supports, another substance or behavior can step into that same role.

Stress and life transitions can overload recovery supports

Cross addiction commonly shows up during periods of disruption: grief, relationship conflict, a major move, work pressure, trauma triggers, chronic pain flare-ups, or a downturn in depression and anxiety. In those moments, the nervous system is asking for an off switch. If your coping system is already maxed out, the brain naturally seeks something immediate.

The more your recovery plan supports your whole life, the less likely it is that stress will quietly steer you toward an “alternative” addiction.

“Accepted” habits can become compulsive

Some cross addictions start in places that feel harmless or even praised at first: shopping, exercise, work, social media, dating apps, or gaming. The warning sign is not the activity itself, it is the pattern. You keep doing it despite consequences, and you cannot reliably control it.

Common Cross Addiction Patterns

Cross addiction is highly individual, but these patterns are common in recovery settings:

• Alcohol replaced by gambling or sports betting
• Opioids replaced by misuse of prescription medications or stimulants
• Substance use replaced by compulsive sex, pornography use, or relationship “chasing”
• Substance use replaced by compulsive shopping or overspending
• Substance use replaced by rigid over-exercising or food-related compulsion
• Substance use replaced by excessive internet use, gaming, or late-night scrolling

It is also common to see cross addiction cluster around the same emotional drivers: stress relief, avoidance, loneliness, boredom, shame, trauma activation, and difficulty tolerating strong feelings.

Warning Signs a New Habit Is Turning Into a Cross Addiction

Cross addiction is easiest to interrupt early, while the pattern is still forming.

Watch for these signals:

• Loss of control: You do more than you planned, even after promising yourself you would stop.
• Preoccupation: Your mind keeps drifting to the behavior, especially when stressed.
• Escalation: You need more intensity, more risk, more time, or more money to get the same effect.
• Secrecy: You hide it, minimize it, or feel defensive when asked.
• Withdrawal-like distress: Irritability, anxiety, or low mood when you cannot do it.
• Real consequences: Relationship conflict, financial damage, sleep disruption, work issues, health impacts.

A simple gut-check question can help: “Is this habit expanding my life, or shrinking it?”

How to Protect Your Recovery From Cross Addiction

There is no single perfect strategy. Prevention usually looks like building a recovery plan that can hold up under real stress.

1) Strengthen connection and accountability

Isolation is a major risk factor across addiction patterns. Regular contact with supportive people creates early detection and fast course-correction. That can include therapy, peer support, alumni programming, family sessions, or a consistent recovery community.

If you have been out of treatment for a while, revisiting a structured recovery plan can help you identify gaps before stress exposes them. 

2) Build coping skills that work in the moment

Cross addiction often starts when coping skills exist in theory but fail under pressure. Skills that tend to hold up include:

• grounding and nervous system regulation
• urge surfing and craving management
• sleep and routine protection
• boundaries with screens, money, or high-risk environments
• emotion labeling and distress tolerance

Relapse prevention literature emphasizes skill development, monitoring, and social support as core strategies, not just “trying harder.”

3) Treat the underlying drivers, not just the surface behavior

If anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms, or chronic stress are untreated, the brain keeps searching for relief. Cross addiction becomes less likely when treatment addresses both substance use and mental health needs. The American Psychiatric Association also emphasizes that treatment should address multiple needs, not just substance use alone, and that detox alone is only a first stage. 

At Futures, the CORE Program is designed for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions with integrated medical, clinical, and wellness services. 

4) Plan for high-risk seasons, not just high-risk places

Many people focus only on avoiding people, places, and things. That matters, but cross addiction often emerges during high-risk internal seasons:

• burnout
• grief
• insomnia
• loneliness
• boredom
• shame spirals
• “I’m fine, I don’t need support anymore” thinking

The VA’s Whole Health Library notes that relapse can occur even after years and emphasizes recovery as ongoing changes across multiple life domains, not a time-limited goal. That same mindset helps prevent cross addiction; recovery stays active, even when life gets good.

When to Get Help

If you notice a new compulsive pattern forming, early support is a strength move, not an emergency-only option.

Consider getting professional help if:

• the behavior is escalating quickly
• you are hiding it or lying about it
• your mood is worsening or you feel emotionally unstable
• finances, relationships, health, or work are taking hits
• cravings for your original substance are returning
• loved ones are concerned and you feel unusually defensive

You do not have to wait for a crisis to deserve care.

Staying Ahead of Cross Addiction in Long-Term Recovery

Cross-addiction is a common challenge on the path to recovery, but it is crucial to understand that it does not signify the failure of your recovery journey. This means consciously working to develop stronger, more resilient coping skills to navigate life’s stressors without turning to a substitute behavior. Ultimately, dealing with cross-addiction requires a flexible, personalized recovery plan that is realistic, sustainable, and truly matches the demands and complexities of your current life circumstances. This proactive approach turns a setback into an opportunity for growth and a more solid, comprehensive sobriety.

Multiple Pathways of Recovery: Which Is Best?

Recovery is not one-size-fits-all. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes recovery is not one size fits all, reflecting the fact that each individual brings their own unique history, needs, strengths and goals. Because of that reality, the idea of multiple pathways to recovery is central to effective treatment.

At Futures Recovery Healthcare, a luxury rehab in Florida, our philosophy affirms that path. Through our internal link-forwarding treatment model in the RESET Program we design care plans that draw from a variety of evidence-based options, reflecting the real-world truth of multiple pathways to recovery rather than insisting on “this method only.”

Why Multiple Pathways Matter

When addiction or co-occurring mental health issues arise, the disruption is often widespread,  as medical, emotional, social and relational. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) emphasizes that treatment should address the whole person, not just the substance use. Because of this, a model that offers multiple pathways to recovery allows for the personalization necessary for lasting change.

A well-designed program recognizes that some clients may respond best to behavioral therapies, others to medication-assisted interventions, and others to holistic or peer-based supports or a blend of these. This perspective informs RESET, where clinical teams collaborate across modalities to tailor and adapt.

12-Step and Peer-Support Frameworks

One of the recognized frameworks in recovery is the 12-Step model, first introduced by Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. This peer-based structure provides accountability, sponsorship and community connection. A study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that AA was “nearly always more effective than psychotherapy in achieving abstinence” across large scale reviews of 10,000+ participants.

Key strengths of the 12-Step approach include:

• Built-in accountability through regular meetings and peer support
• Access to sponsorship and real-time guidance from others in recovery
• A structured framework for making amends and repairing relationships
• Emphasis on ongoing community connection to sustain long-term change

Within the RESET Program, if a client is receptive and would benefit from peer community and sponsorship, the 12-Step option will be incorporated or recommended alongside other clinical services. This integration ensures that the channel of support aligns with each person’s preferences and circumstances, reinforcing the broader ethos of multiple pathways to recovery.

Behavioral Therapies & Clinical Care

Behavioral therapies form the backbone of many effective treatment pathways. In the RESET Program, modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Family Therapy and Contingency Management are deployed based on individual need.

CBT helps clients identify and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to substance use. MI builds readiness and motivation for change. Family therapy involves loved ones in the process, improving support systems. Contingency Management uses positive reinforcement for achieving recovery milestones.

Because addiction impacts multiple domains of life, combining these therapies within a unified plan aligns with the idea that multiple pathways to recovery are not just parallel but complementary. For example a client may engage CBT while also participating in a peer-group program and receiving wellness supports.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) & Psychiatry

For many clients, stable recovery begins with appropriate medical support. Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a well-documented path within evidence-based care. A study of genetic and environmental influences on substance use by Harvard’s Twin Study shows how biological vulnerability interacts with environment underscoring the need for medical, psychiatric and psychosocial interventions together.

In the RESET Program, psychiatric evaluation and medication management are integrated with therapy, wellness and support services. For opioid use, medications like buprenorphine or naltrexone may be used. For alcohol relapse prevention, other medications come into play. These are never standalone solutions but are carefully combined with behavioral therapies and wellness strategies, another dimension of multiple pathways to recovery.

Holistic & Wellness-Focused Strategies

True healing involves more than therapy and medication, it involves restoring the mind, body and spirit. At Futures, the RESET Program includes holistic offerings: yoga, meditation, acupuncture, physical fitness, nutrition education, mindfulness training and recreational therapy. These attract clients who might not respond solely to traditional therapy or 12-Step, and they reflect a distinctly luxury, whole-person care model.

In a luxury rehab in Florida setting, these amenities and integrative services become part of the treatment fabric emphasizing that the path to recovery can include wellness, recreation, relaxation and renewal, in addition to clinical rigor. By weaving together these elements, Futures underscores that there are truly multiple pathways to recovery, and clients often find the strongest outcomes when they access more than one.

Coordinated Continuum & Aftercare

Sustaining long-term recovery often depends on what happens after initial intensive treatment. At the RESET Program, the emphasis on aftercare, peer support, outpatient follow-up and personalized transitions ensures that the chosen pathways adapt as life evolves. The luxury campus in Florida serves as a foundation, but lasting recovery happens in real-life settings, with real-life stresses and supports.

Key elements that support sustained recovery include:

• Individualized aftercare plans that adjust as responsibilities and stressors change
• Ongoing peer recovery support that normalizes challenges and celebrates progress
• Structured outpatient services that reinforce skills learned in residential treatment
• Thoughtful transitions between levels of care to reduce gaps in support
• Coordination with community providers and resources for long-term stability

By structuring care that transitions from residential to outpatient or other levels, Futures helps clients maintain momentum. That integrated continuum also reflects the theory behind multiple pathways to recovery as needs shift, so can the path, without losing support or structure.

Research from the Division on Addiction at Harvard Medical School reinforces that a portfolio of interventions, self-help, professional therapy and medication-assisted treatment can work about the same for many people, suggesting flexibility in approach is critical.

Making the Right Choice for You

Choosing a treatment setting should involve an honest assessment of personal goals, history, readiness and preferences. At Futures Recovery Healthcare, our RESET Program is purpose-built to explore and tailor the most effective combination of pathways for each client. 

By embracing flexibility, precision and compassion, Futures positions itself as a luxury rehab in Florida where healing is dimensional and personalized. This model underscores that there is no single “best” method but there is the best combination of methods for you.

Remember, recovery is both personal and dynamic. When a program offers access to multiple pathways to recovery, you have the freedom to find the right alignment, change direction when needed and build sustainable wellness.

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Anxiety in Recovery: How to Cope

Have you ever felt anxious? From butterflies in your stomach and sweaty palms to a racing heart and shortness of breath, most everyone has felt anxiety symptoms to one degree or another. And while many of the symptoms commonly associated with anxiety are helpful in certain dangerous situations, for millions of Americans these unwanted feelings become part of their daily or weekly life—and are unhealthy for the body, mind, and soul. 

In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), there are 40 million individuals over the age of 18 in the United States who have anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the nation. They are also treatable disorders, yet only 36.9% of those suffering from anxiety get professional treatment. 

So what do the remaining 63.1% do? For some, they live on a daily basis with the crippling impact of a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and it worsens. For others, they don’t seek professional help but turn to self-medicating through a number of different substances to help ease the discomfort they face. Often, those who choose to self-medicate, then find themselves with a dependency on alcohol or another substance. However, there are those too who first had the alcohol or substance use disorder and this brought on the GAD. 

And as the causes of anxiety are similar to those precursors for alcohol and substance abuse, it can be difficult to determine which disorder came first. In some cases it is clear but in others, it is not. No matter which of the co-occurring disorders came first, there is help and anyone suffering from anxiety with or without a co-occurring substance abuse issue can recover. If you or a loved one is living in the pain, isolation, and hopelessness from a co-occurring disorder, it’s vital to seek treatment at an addiction treatment center with expertise in treating co-occurring disorders. 

Do You Have a GAD? Understanding the Symptoms of Anxiety

Many have experienced feelings of anxiety in life. On the way to an interview for a job, before a big test, boarding an airplane are all common times when individuals experience feelings of anxiety. However for those with generalized anxiety disorders, panic disorders, or phobia-related disorders these ‘feelings’ remain after the event has passed and often continue on a daily basis. 

The National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) describes people with GAD as exhibiting excessive nervousness or worry for almost every day for six months or more. The nervousness or worry can be about work, personal life, daily situations, social interactions, health, school, and more. 

If you think you may have GAD, review these symptoms of anxiety from NIMH: 

• Irritability
• Muscle tension
• Fatigued regularly and easily
• Restlessness and feeling on edge
• Problems with focus or maintaining attention
• Inability to control worrisome feelings and thoughts
• Sleep issues such as insomnia, trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrefreshed

Do any of these sound familiar? If they do and you or your loved one has been experiencing these on a regular basis, you may be suffering from a generalized anxiety disorder. There are also panic disorders and phobia-related disorders which are considered to be anxiety disorders as well. 

Panic disorders are characterized by panic attacks which are periods of acute fear which come on abruptly. These attacks can be brought on by ‘triggers’ or for no reason at all. Regardless of the reason, individuals who have panic disorders tend to avoid certain people, places, and situations for fear of another attack. Because of this, often those with panic disorders can find significant problems in their lives as they understandably try to avoid the return of a panic attack. 

When it comes to phobia-related disorders an individual experiences a strong and powerful aversion to specific situations or things. Examples are phobias to flying snakes or spiders, heights, the sight of blood, and more.

No matter what type of anxiety disorder you or a loved one has you may have found yourself (or still find yourself) self-medicating with alcohol or another substance in attempts to find relief from these often debilitating feelings. 

Self-medicating for Anxiety

It’s no wonder alcohol and other substances are turned to in order to find relief from anxiety. Alcohol, in particular, is socially accepted, easy to get, and for many can mask underlying issues such as anxiety. However, using alcohol to help ease the symptoms of anxiety can be a slippery slope. For so many who find themselves in addiction treatment centers, what started as a way to feel better or cope with difficult feelings or life situations turns on them and they become dependent on that substance. And in many cases of co-occurring disorders, continued use of the substance can actually worsen the mental health disorder. 

Very often, alcohol or drug issues can be masking underlying mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, mood disorders, and more. However, thousands of people who have these co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders find the help they need and places to get help for alcohol abuse and drug abuse. These people, who take the first brave step towards recovery, go on to reclaim their lives and enjoy daily life free from addiction. 

When you seek treatment at an addiction treatment center that utilizes evidence-based medicine to treat both the addiction and the co-occurring mental health disorder, such as anxiety disorders, you too can begin to live a life in joy and peace of mind. Futures Recovery Healthcare knows that addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders are complex, chronic conditions that need comprehensive and coordinated care. At Futures, we are committed to every patient who walks through our doors not only while they are in treatment but long after they leave. 

If you are in recovery now and still experiencing anxiety, you aren’t alone. Just because a person gets sober doesn’t mean that life will be perfect and not throw any curveballs. In addition, when it comes to alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and anxiety, it takes daily work as well as development and maintenance of new habits and coping skills so you don’t revert to old ways of life. From feeling anxious to reaching for a substance to cope, leaning on new skills and habits will help you to combat these former unhealthy coping skills.

Five Healthy Coping Skills for Anxiety in Recovery 

For many in recovery, anxiety, although to a much lesser degree, can continue. However, there are many healthy coping skills that not only ease the immediate symptoms of anxiety but also help the anxiety eventually go away altogether. 

Here are a few healthy ways to deal with the feelings and symptoms associated with anxiety:

1. Breathe
   Mindful breathing and deep breathing are ways to ward off anxiety as soon as you begin to feel it. There are a variety of techniques to use but often the most simple is the best particularly in the beginning. Dr. Andrew Weil promotes the 4-7-8 breathing technique. For this approach, you breathe in deeply to the count of four, hold it to the count of seven, then exhale strongly to the count of eight. This technique is used not only to help with anxiety but to promote sleep. For mindful breathing, simply pay attention to your breath as you inhale and as you exhale. Feel your belly rise on the inhale and fall on the exhale. Repeat this mindful breathing until you begin to feel calmer.
2. Meditate
   Meditation has long been touted across the globe for delivering feelings of calm, clarity, and joy. There are various types of meditations such as guided meditations, mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, yoga meditation, chakra meditation, and more. Within each of these types of meditations are options for each person’s individual needs and wants not only at that particular moment but long term as well. 
3. Activity
   There’s no doubt that moving the body, whether it be a walk, mountain climbing, or aerobic exercise, can make you feel better. But according to research, exercise is directly linked to the improvement of mental health including anxiety and depression. According to a research study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, aerobic exercises such as jogging, swimming, walking, cycling, and gardening have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression. Recovery is the time to discover new passions and activities you like. Finding an addiction treatment center that supports this can give you a head start on this self-discovery journey. An experiential and adventure-based treatment program at Futures provides opportunities for patients to learn new activities and hobbies as well as build their self-confidence through activities like scuba diving, paddle boarding, fishing, and more.  
4. Creativity
   For those in recovery, many became accustomed to lives with high adrenaline that ranged from very chaotic to mildly chaotic. Depending on how long the alcohol or substance use issue lasted, it is easy to be used to that type of life and the associated feelings. Some of these feelings are actually also common with anxiety. In order to experience long-lasting recovery, it’s important to leave these chaotic behaviors behind. However, discovering creative hobbies such as painting, writing, music, and more can help to fulfill this craving for ‘excitement’. In addition, seeking adventures has also been found by many in recovery to be a healthy outlet. From traveling to trying a new cuisine or hiking somewhere new, discover the creativity and drive for adventure you may not know you have. 
5. Diet
   You are what you eat is an age-old adage that holds true today. What you eat not only impacts your physical health but your mental health as well. When it comes to anxiety, consuming too much caffeine, processed foods, sugary foods, foods with trans fats, alcohol, and more can make your anxiety worse. If you want to feel better and less anxious eat fresh produce, whole grains, water, and fish instead. It’s important for anyone recovering from an alcohol or substance use issue to pay special attention to their diet. When you search for places to get help for alcohol abuse or substance abuse, be sure they are dedicated to your overall wellness and nutrition. 

Anxiety and addiction are both debilitating diseases to live with if you don’t seek help. And while life in active addiction and with untreated anxiety can be hopeless it’s important to know that thousands of people get help every day and go on to live happy, vibrant lives free from both anxiety and addiction. If you or someone you love needs help for an alcohol or substance problem or a co-occurring disorder, Futures is here for you. Contact us confidentially online or by phone at 561-475-1804.