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There can be a number of difficult situations that come up during someone’s journey of recovery. Regardless of if someone is dealing with an addiction, mental health disorder, or is suffering from a co-occurring disorder, there can be any number of stressors or triggers that can induce a crisis in one’s life. These can be very difficult to cope with and will require the help of established support systems and the aid and comfort of loved ones in order for each person to begin to process the stresses that they have experienced. However, in order to determine who someone can turn to in a crisis, it is important to first understand the various kinds of relationships that someone can develop during their time in recovery. Different kinds of relationships can play an important role in one’s recovery from a crisis.
What is a Crisis?
A crisis will look different to each person experiencing it, and can be a very difficult, seemingly hopeless wave of stress that can overcome someone. They can be classified as a short-term, but extreme, change in someone’s mental state and are often accompanied by feelings of anxiety, panic, depression, hopelessness, or feelings of being lost or worthless. There can also be symptoms of sensory overload and may even present themselves by way of hearing voices or misinterpreting their own environment in a dangerous way. These crises can manifest at any time, and while there can usually be a triggering event, they can also occur after an emotional buildup if someone doesn’t have the proper outlets or coping strategies to deal with the daily stressors that come as part of each day. Each person will have their own experiences with a crisis, and there is not one single approach that will help every person. As a result, it is important to know the different ways that each person can get the help they need during and after a crisis in order to begin to reestablish one’s homeostasis in recovery and begin working through new coping strategies and grounding techniques.
Immediate Support Systems
Contacting one’s immediate support system in a crisis, such as immediate family members, a spouse, or close friends or relatives that are either living with the person or are close by, can help someone begin to work through the crisis as quickly as possible. These supports can work with each person to establish grounding techniques that can be used quickly and in the moment. These supports may be able to help guide someone through breathing exercises in order to help someone in a crisis begin to regain a bit of control over their bodies or minds, or may help someone address the environment around them in order to regain a shared sense of reality. Contacting these supports may be crucial for helping someone even begin to move through the stresses that they may be facing, as well as addressing their own immediate physical and mental wellbeing.
Contacting Professionals
Calling a professional is also an essential part of addressing one’s crisis, and can help someone better understand the stresses that may have caused such an event. This can be especially helpful if someone already has an established relationship with a professional that knows them on a personal level, as they can help instill new practices or help someone refine grounding strategies that may not have worked for their particular crisis. This is also helpful in being able to address these factors on a professional level as quickly as possible, and those suffering from a crisis can give their most genuine feelings and thoughts when addressing such a crucial event. Professionals can help someone begin to adjust their recovery strategies and goals as quickly as possible, while providing support along the way.
Support Groups
Having a friend or helpful support group can help give someone the needed feeling of belonging and understanding that they may need as they work through the fallout of their crisis by deconstructing the feelings of isolation that may be present. Hearing that there are others who have had similar experiences can be helpful in this regard, and these support groups may be able to help instill new ideas in how to cope with potential stresses in the future. Reaching out to these support groups after a crisis can help someone begin to address these vulnerabilities and be more willing to be open and honest with themselves about their experience.
Friends and Colleagues
Especially after a crisis has passed, there can still be a benefit from reaching out to those who may have nothing to do with the recovery process. These can be groups who may not know that someone is in recovery, and instead are part of a shared interest community or club. Being able to get out and get a break is a form of self-care that may help someone continue to work through their stress, as well as help them re-engage with their own identity and interests in a safe and productive way. While addressing the events in the moment with immediate support and guidance is still paramount, all of the various relationships that someone may have built in their recovery journey can help play a role in addressing one’s own personal needs both during and after a crisis.
The support that someone develops in recovery can make a huge difference through the rest of their lives. At START UP RECOVERY, the sense of community established through our unique transformation living environment can help each person begin to establish their own support systems, as well as their own identities. Your time with us can be spent working with professionals, as well as alongside like-minded peers and mentors in order to continue to develop your own coping strategies, grounding techniques, and goals in recovery. Your stay can also be personalized to fit your goals and build on your existing interests and strengths by infusing professional, therapeutic practices into personal, practical methods for recovery. For more information on how we can personalize your stay with us, help you build your life long support systems, or to speak to a caring and trained professional about your unique situation, call us today at (310) 773-3809.