Withdrawal is an intimidating experience that occurs when an addictive substance such as alcohol, drugs, or even cannabis, is discontinued. Withdrawal symptoms, duration, and intensity vary depending on which substance a person is addicted to and what was the method of abuse. But one common thing which everyone experiences is the craving for more of the substance. Since withdrawal symptoms can even be life-threatening, you need to make sure that you are opting for the legit methods to manage them. Even better if you engage a professional in this process. But for you, we have shared a few of our tried and tested ways to manage your withdrawal symptoms. If you are interested in checking them out, stick to this article.
Regular Exercise
Typically, most addiction treatment involves some kind of talk therapy. While this works for many people, others feel like they need an approach that will help them physically. So, what could be better than exercise? Daily exercise releases endorphins in our brain and thus positively restores the chemical balance that was disturbed by substance addiction. It has been found that exercise also helps with managing cravings. During the withdrawal, a person can experience depression, anger, watery mouth, headaches, and muscle tension. So, exercise is repeatedly found to reduce significant withdrawal symptoms such as stress, anxiety, and depression, enhancing mental health and stability during withdrawal.
Meditation and Yoga
An individual who is experiencing withdrawal to handle stress and wants to relax, he may want to try mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation. Both of them will lead to an easier withdrawal process with longer-term abstinence from the drug or alcohol. According to one article from the Journal of Women’s Health, women who practiced yoga when trying to stay away from cigarettes had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and were more likely to quit smoking altogether. Therefore, in addition to daily exercise, you want to meditate and practice yoga regularly to keep your mind and body in a better place.
Balanced and Nutritious Meals
Substance addiction affects your body in your two ways. The substance not only affects the body but also it leads to negative lifestyle changes, including poor diet and irregular eating. A proper diet can play a significant role in healing both the mind and body. So, to help the healing process, what you should do is to eat food rich in proteins, vitamins, and all the nutrients essential for restoring healthy brain and body functioning. Plus, stay away from refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine, oils, and saturated fats to really manage your substance withdrawal symptoms.
Talk Therapy
It is one of the most effective and preferred ways of helping the person experiencing withdrawal symptoms. If you are going through the same situation, then you need to communicate with your family member, spouse, friend, or therapist. Talking is considered as one of the most powerful therapies to externalize emotions, thoughts, and complications to avoid making them worse. So, you can reach out to your family, loved one, or a therapist, and let them help you.