Effects of Lack of  Recreational Activities in Addiction

Recreation as a Form of Therapy

Experts often leverage the merits of recreation in therapy programs. For instance, individuals on an addiction recovery journey are often advised to engage in recreational activities, especially when there is an urge to use a substance. Simply taking a walk down the street or running up and down the stairs can be a perfect distraction or redirection.

Many psychiatric facilities across the United States use recreational therapy as a means of helping people recover from mental health issues.

Benefits of Engaging in Recreational Activities Therapy

Recreational activities contribute immensely to the general satisfaction individuals feel every day. They impact both the physical and mental health of individuals. Some of the benefits of recreational activities are:

1. Helps develop different perspectives: one of the biggest challenges facing people with addiction or mental health illness is that they don’t get why they are suffering. An essential part of recovery involves getting a new perspective on the condition and this can be achieved through recreational activities.
2. Positive relationships: failing relationships are among the symptoms and effects of addiction. Important relationships, such as at home, work, and among friends, suffer because they can no longer maintain communication and trust. These important characteristics, trust and communication, can be learned when involved in activities. So, as they recover, they are able to build and maintain healthy relationships.
3. Reduced stress and anxiety: recreational, therapeutic activities can play important roles in reducing depression and anxiety. Hence, minimizing the withdrawal symptoms of addiction and making recovery easier.
4. Increased Self-Esteem: one of the major effects of addiction and mental health disorders on individuals is to destroy their self-esteem. Therapeutic recreational activities can be very influential in helping build confidence and making people see they are worthy and even more.
5. Avoidance of cravings and relapse: an addiction recovery journey can be very overwhelming, even when handled by experts in the best way possible. Therefore, the rate of relapse is significant. Recreational activities may help avoid cues that could trigger cravings and relapse. They can also provide exposure to new environments, away from environments that increase the risk of addiction and relapse.

Note: these activities, depending on the purpose, can either be in a group or individually. A sublime combination of both helps recovering individuals enormously. 

What are the Types of Recreational Activities People Do?

Physical Activities

Physical activities such as walking, jumping, running, and swimming have tremendous advantages for the body. For instance, they help to keep the body in shape and regulate or control some underlying health issues such as obesity. In addition to these, they also have enormous mental or psychological merits.

The exposure to meaningful routine activities, informal social controls, and personal agency brought about by physical activities offer individuals the chance for identity transformation. They give you something to participate in and look forward to.

Experts caring for older adults find physical activities very productive in the reduction of depression. This includes the simple act of taking a daily walk, perhaps with a dog, and sophisticated ones like a bowling club. Physical activities have similar effects on new mothers facing postpartum depression.

Examples of physical activities include:

• Ball sports and team sports: football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, rugby, netball, etc.
• Movement and dance: dancing, yoga, aerobics, martial arts, gymnastics, circus sports, etc.
• Outdoor and adventure: surfing, snowboarding, caving, etc.
• Others include swimming, running, walking, jogging, bowling, cycling, tennis, squash, etc.

Note: there are so many options for physical activities to choose from. This flexibility makes it even more interesting as everyone will definitely find at least one physical activity they really like.

Mental Activities

These activities have more to do with thoughts than action. For example, games like chess require individuals to do a lot of thinking. Arts such as painting also have more to do with thinking capacity.

These activities require a high level of focus or concentration, which can help to train the mind.

Examples of mental activities include:

• Games: board games like chess, card games, crosswords, puzzles, etc.
• Films and music
• Reading or listening to audiobooks
• Crafts, painting, making cards, etc.

Note: there’s hardly a recreational activity that is completely physical or mental. It is always a combination of both but at varying degrees. Some are heavily physical while others are heavily mental. For instance, swimming and running are mostly physical activities, while arts and writing are mostly mental.