Recovery from addiction and substance abuse is often thought of as a primarily physical process. Those in the recovery process must overcome uncomfortable bodily sensations as they depart from their regular use habits. Then they must build new, engaging habits, such as exercise. However, few people realize that high-quality intensive outpatient programs (IOPs) have a third pillar that supports a successful recovery: emotional intelligence (EI).
When a person understands how to relate to their own emotional identity and how to perceive others, they are more equipped to attain lasting success. To understand why, it is important to learn what emotional intelligence is, the contributions it makes to recovery, and how intensive outpatient programs seek to build this skill over time.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is a two-pronged skill. The first prong involves self-perception and emotional regulation. The second prong involves relating to others, particularly through empathy and sympathy.
Emotions within
Emotional intelligence directed inward reveals a person’s own feelings. Consider it to be self-awareness, a gradual development of the skills necessary to accurately name and understand what an individual is feeling, where those feelings are coming from, and how they should be directed.
For instance, imagine that a person is hanging pictures on the wall of their new apartment. One picture refuses to hang straight, no matter how many times they try to fix it. They angrily pull the picture off the wall and throw it to the ground in frustration, cracking the frame.
How they respond to this situation is determined in part by the emotional intelligence they have cultivated.
- “This is stupid! Why won’t it work?” The individual is frustrated and unable to redirect or control their feelings.
- “Is there something wrong with the wall?” They are not completely ruled by their anger and have been able to calm themselves somewhat through self-regulation, seeking an alternative outlet or explanation.
- “My anger doesn’t match how serious this problem is. I’m going to take a quick break to calm down.” An emotionally intelligent response that recognizes not just how the person feels but how that feeling relates to the current task and how to pivot toward a more balanced emotional state.
Empathy and sympathy
Emotional intelligence should be directed outward, as well. A person with high emotional intelligence should actively seek to empathize (understand how a person might be feeling) and sympathize (recognize and care about others’ emotions). This brings their awareness outside themselves and applies it in more complex ways to the world around them.
For example, suppose a married couple is attending a party. The husband is having fun with his friends, but the wife meets a person at the party with whom she previously had negative experiences. She is ready to leave. She expresses as much, stating that she hopes he will wrap up his conversations in the next 10 or 15 minutes so they can go. The husband then spends an additional two hours at the party.
When they arrive home, the wife says, “I felt like you didn’t care about how uncomfortable I was.” The husband can respond in multiple ways, some of which indicate emotional intelligence, and others that do not.
- “It wasn’t a big deal! You didn’t even have to talk to them.” The husband invalidates his wife’s feelings, telling her how she should have felt and justifying his behavior.
- “I’m sorry you felt uncomfortable.” This response is more aware than the previous one, but it places blame on the wife for her feelings rather than the husband for his actions.
- “I’m sorry I left you feeling uncomfortable. I felt like spending time with my friends was good for me, but I didn’t fully consider how trapped you might have felt while waiting for me.” This emotionally intelligent response demonstrates both an awareness of what he was feeling that led to his actions and the emotional consequences those actions had on his wife, based on how she must have been feeling.
The Value of Emotional Intelligence in Recovery
Emotional intelligence is a core principle of successful recovery from addiction and substance use. Studies indicate that those with low levels of emotional intelligence are more unstable and cope with challenges less successfully than those with high EI. Some of the main reasons why cultivating emotional intelligence leads to more effective recovery include:
Adaptability
Anyone in an intensive outpatient program will experience setbacks. These may include waxing and waning desires to participate, push-back or lack of support, financial difficulties that increase the desire to use, and more. Emotional intelligence helps participants remain motivated, even when these challenges make it seem easier to give up.
Individuals with high EI can consistently identify why they feel disheartened or upset and what they can do to change this state of being. This adaptability is essential for adjusting to the recovery journey as it happens.
Regulation
In many cases, the greatest temptations toward relapse occur during moments of emotional instability. A person may be extremely upset, grief-stricken, lonely, or guilty and seek to calm those feelings using a substance. High emotional intelligence instead equips that individual with the tools necessary to name their feelings and self-regulate, easing the intensity of the feelings and providing another alternative for returning to normal.
Managing triggers
Triggers, or feelings and incidents that create a strong pull toward using, are the primary driver behind relapse. High emotional intelligence allows IOP participants to manage their triggers by processing their feelings and acknowledging how their thoughts are developing. Learning how to identify and name triggers empowers participants to address their feelings before they can grow and escalate.
How Intensive Outpatient Programs Develop Emotional Intelligence
Because emotional intelligence is foundational for successful recovery, intensive outpatient programs often focus a portion of their strategy on developing this skill. Each individual has their own background, personality, and learning style, which is why IOPs often utilize multiple methods simultaneously to train EI.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT is one of the most common treatment methods in an intensive outpatient program because it has a long history of efficacy. Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches individuals how to reframe their thoughts or become more aware of how their thought patterns develop and progress. By learning this skill, an IOP participant can recognize how triggers arise from their emotions and how to redirect their thoughts toward more productive avenues.
Dialectical behavioral therapy
DBT places its focus on different but complementary areas with CBT. It addresses interpersonal relationships more closely and allows participants to sit with their emotions without trying to escape or numb them. This practice fosters mindfulness that can help individuals prevent spiraling and reduce the intensity of otherwise strong or overwhelming emotions.
Group therapy
In the beginning, many participants in intensive outpatient programs are hesitant about engaging in group therapy because their addiction is such a personal challenge. However, group therapy is essential for developing high levels of emotional intelligence.
Sharing one’s personal stories about addiction in a group setting helps individuals develop the language and skills to name their feelings and habits. It forces them to be self-reflective and confront their emotions and thought processes directly. It also cultivates empathy as they listen to others’ stories, allowing them to seek similarities with their own experience and gain a greater understanding of how others feel on their own journeys.
Positive Side-Effects of Increased Emotional Intelligence
Developing greater emotional intelligence is a valuable skill that serves a person well during rehabilitation, but its positive effects are not lost once IOP treatment is over. In fact, high emotional intelligence is one of the most impactful attributes a person can have in many areas of their life. Increasing emotional intelligence during rehabilitation sets a person up for success over the long term
Relationships
Those with greater emotional intelligence are more likely to be satisfied in their relationships, and those relationships tend to last longer. The reason for this is likely clear: when a person can articulate their feelings without accusation and remain accountable for their own actions tied to their emotions, they create a strong foundation for communication and cooperation.
Work
Employees with high emotional intelligence are more likely to be promoted to leadership positions. Once in these positions, high EI workers tend to oversee teams that are happier and more productive. They are better able to communicate clearly than their peers and adapt faster to unexpected challenges and stressors. They resolve conflict in amicable ways and lead with empathy, making employees feel heard and supported. All of these features can result in better-paying and more fulfilling employment.
Personal growth
Emotional intelligence is valuable to an individual for more reasons than just overcoming their addictive behaviors. The skills learned in this arena then support a person’s hobbies and goals for growth. They can become aware of self-sabotaging behaviors in other areas and are already equipped with the skills necessary to redirect their attitudes. They manage themselves well and remain accountable, even if they are by themselves.
Approach Recovery Holistically with an IOP
While physical and psychological growth are both essential for successful recovery from addiction, the impact of emotional intelligence cannot be ignored. The professionals at Aquila Recovery Clinic incorporate the development of emotional intelligence into the program so that participants learn the skills they need to succeed over the long term, not just during the IOP itself. Contact Aquila Recovery Clinic to enroll in an IOP.