When it comes to addiction recovery, the journey doesn’t end when you leave the rehab facility. In fact, this is just the beginning. In addiction treatment, you learn and develop the necessary skills you need for relapse prevention. Typically, this includes finding sober activities and therapeutic recreation. When you begin taking those first solo steps of recovery, it’s up to you to determine the best relapse prevention techniques for your lifestyle.
Exercise and Adventure Sober Activities
Exercise is one of the most common sober activities that individuals pursue after leaving rehab. This is because exercise can affect the brain similarly to how drugs do. Running, biking therapy, and other forms of cardio can get the blood rushing and trigger the release of dopamine and endorphins. These chemicals encourage happiness and pleasure, creating a similar euphoria to addictive substances. Some people even refer to this as a “runner’s high.”
However, unlike drugs, exercise benefits the body. It can improve a person’s health, self-respect, and confidence. These are all essential for long-lasting recovery. If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy the idea of traditional gyms or exercise, then there are plenty of alternative sober activities that produce the same benefits. Hiking therapy, dancing, and yoga all get the body moving in fun and engaging ways.
Developing Skills and Hobbies
For individuals who are more creatively inclined, it can be helpful to take up a hobby. Painting, playing an instrument, or writing are all excellent hobbies for relapse prevention. If an individual is experiencing cravings or symptoms of their mental illness, hobbies can provide an escape. Furthermore, similar to exercise, the act of being creative and producing something tangible can also increase a person’s self-esteem.
There are also several other skills that a person can implement during recovery. In life skills rehab, they may learn how to meditate or journal to cope with their emotions. These sober activities can be taken with them after they leave rehab to stave off cravings or prevent relapse.
Relapse Prevention with Crestview Recovery
There’s more to life than partying and abusing drugs. In fact, you can experience much of the same joy and pleasure through sober activities. These activities can also help you stay on the road to recovery, improve your health, and bond with others.
At Crestview Recovery, we believe sober activities have the power to keep a person on the right track for the rest of their lives. Therefore, we offer comprehensive addiction therapy services that teach them the skills they need to keep moving forward. Some of these programs include:
Don’t let unhealthy activities draw you back into a life of addiction. Visit Crestview Recovery to learn more about sober activities and life skills. To learn more about our addiction treatment center in Portland, Oregon, call us today at 8662620531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
