Adaptogens

For many individuals in recovery, feelings of anxiety and stress are very common.  Early sobriety is filled with a large amount of uncertainty as major life changes start to happen.  New relationships forming, old relationships ending, and changes in living situations are all common during this time.  Two of the more talked about ways of dealing with stress and anxious feelings include exercise and diet.  In addition to these wonderful ways of coping with these types of feelings, the therapeutic use of herbs can also have a wonderful impact.  A special class of herbs called adaptogens has been known to help combat stress and have a positive influence on the human body.

What Is An Adaptogen? 

Adaptogens are a distinctive group of botanical herbs that can help reduce the impact of long-term stress and improve the health of the body’s adrenal system.  These powerful compounds assist in the body’s response to stressors and also help to fight fatigue.  There are several criteria that adaptogens are required to meet:

1. The substance must be safe and non-toxic.  It must not cause any strain on any of the body’s organs.
2. It must increase the body’s resistance to stress by a range of chemical and physical factors.
3. They must help the body to maintain homeostasis or balance.

Although these criteria may seem broad, there are actually just a small number of herbs that have been classified as adaptogens.  Several of these include ginseng, ashwagandha, cordyceps, reishi, and rhodiola.

Most of these items can be purchased in capsule or powder form and can be taken like vitamins or included in smoothies.  As these compounds are becoming more popular, they are easy to locate online or in your local health food store.

Why Am I Now Just Hearing About These?

While you may just be hearing about some of these compounds for the first time, they have in fact been used for many years in some parts of the world.  Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine have used these herbs for centuries to help heighten energy and fight stress.  In Western culture, we are very quick to look for a prescription to solve all of our problems, but the good news is that there is a more natural approach that may help improve some body functions.

Now What?  

We know that adaptogens can have a wonderful effect on stress and energy levels, but for maximum impact, it is important to combine these powerful herbs with other positive changes as well.  A wonderful approach to reducing stress is to look at it from several angles.  Combining adaptogens with a change in diet and the addition of exercise will increase your chances of success.  Open your mind to the idea that there may be a better approach to dealing with stress than you have tried before.  Perhaps our ancestors have had the answer all along!

Stress In Addiction Recovery

All of us have experienced stress in one form or another in our lifetime.  Chances are that at this exact moment while you read this, you are experiencing some level of stress related to the current state of your own life.  There is a wide spectrum of intensity related to stress, and each individual is equipped differently to cope with it.  On one end of the scale you may have the stress related to arriving at an appointment on time, and on the other, spotting a shark while you are swimming in the ocean. 

Some level of stress is necessary and beneficial to the human body.  The physiological response to stress can help an individual escape from danger and keep them safe.  The problem with stress is when in starts to occur more frequently and in some cases turns into a chronic problem.  Furthermore, for recovering addicts that have not learned the skills to deal with stress, it can be a contributing factor for returning to drugs and alcohol.

Impact On The Body

When we are under stress, there is an impact on many of the body’s systems.  Under stressful conditions, the liver releases extra blood sugar in order to provide additional energy.  If this continues for longer periods of time, the body may not be equipped to deal with the surge of glucose and it may contribute to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  In addition, this extra energy may be stored as fat and can have an impact on weight gain.

Stress has a wide reach and can influence the body’s immune system.  Individuals that are under chronic stress may be at a higher risk of contracting viruses including the flu or cold.  In addition to contracting illnesses, those who experience stress for prolonged periods of time may take longer to recover from them as well.

When the body is experiencing stress, it is common for muscles to contract and become tense.  When a person is experiencing chronic stress, it is possible that the tightness of muscles may cause body aches, back pain, and headaches.  Feeling generally sore and uncomfortable may be a contributing factor for individuals to stop being active and my influence a decision to seek out pain medication.

Long-term effects of chronic stress on the central nervous system include depression, anxiety, and irritability.  Insomnia is common and many people that suffer from chronic stress may become more withdrawn and isolated.  This is particularly alarming to individuals in recovery.

Coping With Stress

While the effects of chronic stress can be debilitating to anyone, they are especially dangerous for the recovering addict and alcoholic.  For those in recovery, any of the consequences of chronic stress listed above could be a contributing factor in pushing them toward a relapse.    There are numerous ways to deal with stress, and while there is no correct way for everyone, it is important that each individual find a healthy solution that works for them. 

Exercise is an excellent outlet for those who are experiencing any type of stress.  This can be anything from hitting the gym to just a simple jog around the block.  No matter what physical activity is chosen, it can help the brain to release some of the same chemicals that were altered during active addiction and is a great “safety valve” to reduce stress.

Meditation can be a wonderful way to help reduce some of the effects of stress on the body.  This can look different for everybody and may be sitting quietly, concentrating on breathing, or a moving meditation like walking.

Additionally, music can have an enormous impact on our mood and stress levels.  Finding some music that has a calming effect on you can be an easy and inexpensive way to help deal with both acute and chronic stress.

The most important thing is that you find what works best for your individual and personal situation.  For most of us in recovery, drugs and alcohol were the only things we used to deal with stress.  As you start down the road to you new life in sobriety, it is important that you develop new and healthy ways to deal with life and the emotions that come with it.