Empowering families affected by substance use

An important step to managing emotions is recognizing and accepting them. Emotions are a natural human phenomenon. We are more able to manage our emotions when we validate and accept them, rather than fighting, denying or hiding them. Give yourself permission to deal with emotions in small, manageable chunks. Knowing that you can accept and manage emotions is particularly important when you are experiencing intensely painful or frightening emotions. Make sure to be kind to yourself.