Being burnt out is difficult to work through, and when you’re on a recovery journey, it can be even more challenging.
In the latest episode of Prescribed Listening, host Tessa Lackey and Dr. Tanvir Singh, UTMC’s medical director of recovery services, discuss how to manage your stress before it leads to burnout on your recovery journey.
Burnout is defined by Singh as exhaustion, and for those on a lifelong recovery journey from substances like drugs or alcohol, that’s when issues can arise.
“You can lose control or go through a feeling of being hopeless and lose the motivation,” he says. “Recovery is not just about not using a substance, it’s a way of life. The concept is a better quality of life experiences, building a platform for yourself where you can explore more positivity.”
In the episode, Singh suggests managing your stress with coping skills such as journaling and talking a walk for a few minutes if you are upset. The best way to get ahead of your burnout, he says, is to manage your stress to be healthier for yourself in the long run.
“Suppose my feet are stuck somewhere and I cannot move. If I decide not to take help, then I’m going to be stuck there forever. That’s how the mental world also goes,” Singh says. “If I do seek help, then it gives me an opportunity to be unstuck and move on with where I want to move on. So, it’s a simple choice, but we make it complicated because we look at it in an emotional and a mental way.”
To review this episode and the podcast’s entire library of episodes, go to the UTMC Prescribed Listening website.
Subscribe to UTMC’s Prescribed Listening podcast for the latest episodes on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
