Wednesday 23 April 2014

Dealing With A Drug Addiction

By Rey Vetangelo


Many people enjoy outdoor recreation and sports. From mountain climbing and hiking to swimming and playing tennis, the number of activities and recreational opportunities that are available to individuals is near limitless.

But what many people may not know is that these same fun and interactive hobbies can be far more beneficial than previously thought, especially for those who are struggling with addictions or those who are in rehab centers in Utah. As Plato famously said, "you can learn more about a man in an hour of play than in a lifetime of conversation" and the same holds true for individuals; a person can learn much more about themselves as they are performing activities than when they are simply talking through their issues.

First, personal hygiene may take a dive. Someone who is normally clean and well-dressed may take a turn towards the pig pen. Their clothing style may change dramatically, and they may take less notice or care over their hair, makeup, or hygiene.

Being stressed or, conversely, being bored are triggers for many people to act on their addiction. The action of recreation, far beyond simply being pleasurable, gets recovering individuals into the habit of turning to activity rather than their addiction when feeling stressed or bored. In this way, recreational therapy professionals are able to steer the stress or boredom of people who are recovering from addictions into productive and fun channels of action. The goal of most recreational therapy programs is to promote fun and sober activities, instill hope into those who have lost it through providing an improved quality of life, and offer outlets for additive behavior into areas of recreational activity.

Recreational activity focuses on building lasting and healthy relationships between individuals as well as developing trust in oneself and the will power to accomplish difficult tasks. Recreational therapy likewise enables a person to develop skills in an activity or sports that simultaneously create a sense of reliability and independence in the life of the recovering individual.

There are many other benefits available for those who are treated with recreational therapy. Some benefits of recreational therapy are aimed at curbing the need for the abused substance or action while other are able to support and build up the individual who is struggling to overcome their addiction.

Those benefits that empower an individual to limit their need for the addictive substance or action include the ability of recreational therapy to reduce boredom, maintain a fun environment without the use of substances and while sober, increase feelings of self-control and discipline, and improves problem solving skills that can help the individual think through their actions before taking them. The benefits of recreational therapy that help develop the individual as a whole include the benefits of improved social skills, learning how to interact with people who are drug free, decrease loneliness, and improve self-esteem.

While many people see playing their favorite sport as simply a fun activity, those who are struggling with overcoming addiction can find relief from their burdens by enrolling themselves in a recreational therapy program and start down the path to recovery.




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