As you’re researching addiction recovery programs or even once you’ve started treatment, you might be surprised by the number of activities involved. For example, the team members at the treatment center might encourage you to participate in sports, theatrical productions, painting, writing or other such activities.

Why Activities are Important

At first, you might have some hesitation about participating in such activities, and you may even question their usefulness in terms of recovering from addiction. However, these types of activities have a variety of important purposes:

• Learning to manage triggers
• Refocusing your mind
• Developing healthy habits
• Improving your health holistically
• Finding new passions

Whether a new activity helps you to more effectively approach triggers or you develop a new passion, this level of engagement can seriously aid in your recovery.

Learning to Manage Triggers

Part of your treatment program will involve the identification of your triggers. In some cases, you may be able to completely avoid situations and circumstances that lead you to use drugs or alcohol. However, avoidance is not typically possible all of the time. Engaging in a healthy activity instead of abusing substances is one healthy way to respond to a trigger.

Refocusing Your Mind

Treatment can be mentally exhausting at times. You may feel stress or anxiety about your progress. Participating in an activity can help to refocus your mind or to get your mind off of negative emotions. Even a seemingly simple activity, such as photographing beautiful scenes in nature, can rejuvenate and restore your mind. After treatment, if you feel tempted into using drugs or alcohol, you can turn to your favorite activity to refocus.

Developing Healthy Habits

Engaging in activities can also help you to develop healthy habits. For example, during treatment, structured activities will take place at a designated time, which helps you to get into a routine. Participating in the same activity on a regular basis can be helpful in this sense as well. When you are finished with treatment, you might decide to take a regular class at the gym on a set day each week.

Having a positive event, class or situation to look forward to can empower you to avoid temptation. Even unstructured activities can have a similar effect. You might find that you love to write poetry. Then, you can set aside a specific time each day or every other day to write.

Improving Your Health Holistically

A major part of being in a treatment program involves improving your physical health by eliminating alcohol and drugs from your system. Some activities bolster your physical health as well. At rehab, some clients choose to join a sports team or to incorporate a daily walk or run into their routines. Doing so can help you to appreciate your physical health even more. Your mental health is important too. Having hobbies is an important part of supporting mental health for many people. You can do puzzles to energize your mind or paint stunning images to work the creative parts of your brain.

Finding New Passions

Getting involved in activities at rehab also allows you to potentially find new passions. If you discover that you enjoy writing short stories, you may decide to enroll in a class at the local library or college when you return home. If you like to work with your hands, you might get more involved in pottery. Passions could potentially turn into future jobs too. Do keep in mind that your hobby does not need to be commodified in order to have value. You can simply love an activity for the sake of that activity and are encouraged to do so.

When you’re envisioning rehab for drug or alcohol addiction, you might not picture activities playing a role in the program. The truth is that activities can actually be a major part of your recovery. You have the opportunity to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Call 833-820-2922 to speak with a caring representative today.