When you think of a traditional drug and alcohol rehab program, you likely imagine sitting through various group and individual therapy sessions while discussing the topic of addiction. While these types of talk therapies are important for understanding the root cause of your addiction and gaining self-awareness, other hands-on activities can promote whole-person healing and restore your mental health.
Recreational therapy is a therapeutic approach that supports addiction recovery through a number of activity-based interventions. These interventions are intended to increase psychological and physical well-being among people struggling with mental or behavioral health conditions.
What is Recreational Therapy for Drug and Alcohol Addiction?
Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a technique that involves using complementary interactive or leisure activities to promote optimal health. These therapies are used alongside pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy to deliver a comprehensive, integrated approach. They can also serve as a way to break up long days full of sitting in a therapist’s office to keep you engaged in your recovery.
Types of Therapeutic Recreation That Can Enhance Your Recovery
Recreational therapy uses a variety of activities that can help address painful emotions as well as symptoms of addiction. The exact type of recreational activities you participate in may depend on your individual needs and which services you can benefit from the most. However, some of the most widely used types of therapeutic recreation include:
- Animal-Assisted Therapy – Working with animals, usually with therapy dogs, horses, goats, or llamas, to build trust, improve self-esteem, and provide a sense of responsibility.
- Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi – These mindfulness exercises provide a positive outlet for stress and anxiety. They can also promote self-awareness, improve mental health, and decrease your risk for relapse.
- Art, Music, or Dance – Creative therapies can help you process painful emotions that are difficult to express verbally. They can also promote unfiltered self-expression and increased self-awareness.
- Adventure therapy – Activities such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, rock-climbing, and wilderness therapy help you connect with the outdoors to promote natural healing and reduce depression.
- Games, Sports, and Team-Building Exercises – Participate in physical activities that encourage positive interactions, healthy communication, improved self-esteem, and increased self-worth.
While each of these activities has its own unique benefits, a recreational approach can also help you discover a new interest or hobby that you can continue to participate in and find joy in after you complete treatment.
Benefits of Recreational Therapy in Addiction Treatment
Recreational therapies cannot cure addiction, but they do serve as a supplemental source of healing. The ultimate goal of this approach is to promote effective communication, problem-solving skills, stress management, and positive social interactions. Another goal is to show you that recovery can be fun and full of new, fulfilling experiences.
Regardless of which activities you indulge in, there are many advantages you can take away from participating in recreational therapy in addiction treatment.
- Enhanced cognitive, emotional, and social development
- Reinforced coping skills
- Increased feelings of control over your treatment program
- Improved social function and community involvement
- Reduced sense of isolation, anxiety, depression, and stress
Recreational therapy can be so enjoyable and passive that many people don’t even realize there is healing happening. Instead, it simply feels like having fun or taking a break from therapy. But, in reality, therapeutic recreation can arm you with a wide variety of coping mechanisms, life skills, and healthy habits that support a sober lifestyle.
Holistically-Tailored Recovery at Arise Addiction Treatment Center
Here at Arise Treatment Center, we work individually with each patient to help them identify and overcome the causes of their addiction, improve their mental health, and embrace life in recovery. Using highly adaptable recreational activities combined with clinical and medical care, we aim to provide you with a whole-person approach to lasting recovery.
Don’t wait any longer for the life-changing care you deserve. Call now to speak with an admissions coordinator to see if our addiction treatment program is right for you.
