How Do Outdoor Activities Help with Substance Rehabilitation?
Outdoor activities provide numerous benefits for people who are actively engaged in substance rehabilitation. First, these activities promote emotional discovery. Hikes and nature walks create the perfect atmosphere for self-reflection. You can learn about yourself and your emotions when you spend time outside.
Stress Relief
Being outside also helps you manage stress and anxiety. Simply looking through a window can alleviate stress. When you’re outside, the impact on stress and anxiety is even greater. Since stress and anxiety are both big components of addiction recovery, this is a huge benefit.
Adventure Therapy
These activities can also force you to step outside of your comfort zone, which is important for recovery. Kayaking, rock climbing, and other activities will cause you to use skills you haven’t used in the past, and that can be a challenge. It’s normal to feel nervous when you’re challenged, and that could cause you to want to rely on old habits. Through adventure therapy, you will learn to embrace challenges and handle your fears and discomfort. This will put you in the position to overcome challenges you’ll face when sober.
Problem-Solving
Also, you can develop problem-solving skills through outdoor therapy in San Diego. Your therapist will guide you through problem-solving activities, so you can learn new skills. These activities will provide you with the confidence you need as you begin to live your life without substances. The more confident you are, the easier it will be for you to deal with triggers.
Achieve Sleep
Spending time outdoors will also help you sleep. As you know, it can be hard to sleep when you’re starting the road to recovery. The less sleep you get, the harder it is to learn the tools you need to stay sober. Fortunately, sleep is much easier when you spend time outside.
Social Connections
You will also build social connections when you engage in outdoor activities. These connections will give you a support system and help you trust others. Trust is one of the first things that addiction takes from people. You probably spent so much time hiding part of yourself that you lost the ability to trust. You can regain that through the connections you make while enjoying outdoor activities.
Experience = Enjoyment
Finally, outdoor activities are fun. You will quickly realize that you can enjoy a full life without substances weighing you down. It’s normal to worry that you won’t have fun again after starting recovery. Spending time outdoors is a clear reminder of the rich, full, and exciting world that is waiting for you. Because these activities are more fun when you’re sober, you’ll also realize that sobriety is much more enjoyable than living a life tethered to substances.
