An after-work drink or two can help you relax after a stressful day at work. It will give you enough buzz to get a good night’s sleep.
But when does drinking consider a coping mechanism?
Do you drink to relieve stress or when you feel sad, ashamed, or regretful? Do you drink because of social anxiety, to avoid painful memories, to sleep, or because of boredom?
If yes to one or more, you use alcohol as an unhealthy coping mechanism.
What is Coping Mechanism?
Coping mechanisms are things people do consciously or unconsciously to lessen tension and anxiety from intrusive thoughts or experiences. One of the most used coping mechanisms is drinking alcohol. Because alcohol is cheap and easy to source, people, even adolescents, use this to cope with their mental health illnesses.
But not all coping mechanisms are bad. There are healthy options people can use instead of drinking alcohol. If you are not sure whether your coping mechanism is healthy, list all the positive and negative impacts it brought to your well-being.
Loing term alcohol use as a coping mechanism can cause alcohol abuse disorder which is very tough to battle. If your alcohol use causes more negative effects than positive, it is time for you to change it to a healthy and beneficial one.
Here are some of the healthy coping mechanisms you can use in place of alcohol drinking:
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Going for a walk
- Running
- Calling a friend
- Talking to a family member
- Talking to a therapist
- Joining a support group
- Going to a 12-Step meeting
- Playing with a pet
- Volunteering
- Reading
- Eating healthy
- Dancing
- Finding a new hobby
- Journaling
Medically-Assisted Detox in Houston, Texas
An unhealthy coping mechanism like alcohol drinking can lead to a serious problem like alcohol abuse disorder. If you or your loved one is using alcohol as a coping mechanism for a long time, it is time to get help.
Alcohol detox can indeed pose an unpleasant experience, but a cozy rehab center like Skyward Treatment can turn this unpleasant experience into a more manageable one.
We have Medically-Assisted Detox that helps and monitor our patients 24/7. We do this to avoid life-threatening symptoms and lessen our patients’ pain while undergoing detox treatment.
If you or your loved one suffers from alcohol abuse and want to get your life back, Skyward Treatment is here to help. Call us today!