Use Outdoor Activities to Help Fight Your Addiction

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a tricky subject. People casually will hint that they love something so much that they are “addicted to it”. Most of the time, it’s a joke. But when do the jokes stop being funny? Harvard Medical School uses an easy way to identify if someone is truly addicted to something:

People with an addiction tend to show the three Cs:

• Craving for the object of the addiction, which can be mild to intense

• loss of Control over use of the object of the addiction

• Continued engagement with the object of the addiction in spite of harmful consequences.

When Someone displays the three C’s, some type of treatment is necessary.

Types of Treatment

According to drugabuse.gov, treatment will vary depending on what type of addiction one has. Sometimes medicine is necessary, sometimes one only needs to be in an area where access to the object of addiction is not available. The first step is to have different types of treatment available. One specific treatment may not work for everyone. Next, the treatment needs to be engaging for a good length of time. The National Institute on Drug Abuse mentions that addiction actually alters the structure and function of the brain. That is why the time length is so important.

Behavioral and group therapy, medically assisted detoxification, and medication are all used as strategies to help treat addicted individuals. Strategies may be used in combination for even more success. Another strategy that can be beneficial for recovery is activities. More specifically, outdoor activities can be beneficial to an addicted individual.

Outdoor Activities Benefits

One of the C’s mentioned above by Harvard was “continued engagement with the object of the addiction in spite of harmful consequences”. One of the best ways to overcome this situation is to remove them from the object. An outdoor activity removes the person from anything associated with the object of addiction. This is the first benefit of a rehab center. It brings the person away from a situation where the object of addiction is available.

Another benefit of outdoor activities is the “feel good” chemicals that are let off from the body working out. These are neuropeptides called endorphins that can benefit the body by decreasing pain and working as a sedative. They are also the same chemicals that are let out when a person uses the object that he/she may be addicted to. Replacing the object of desire with activities can give the body the same benefits. It can also improve any other mental disorders that the individual may be suffering with.

Outdoor activities also give the person a sense of inclusion. People dedicated to outdoor sports know inclusion into a team is very easy to do with whatever niche the participant may be in. This sense of inclusion will further remove the individual from the old routine, where access to the addicted object may be.

There are so many different opportunities for outdoor activities. Hiking and running outdoors can be extremely beneficial for an individual suffering from addiction. Running along a trail can inspire and give a person the strength to overcome addiction. The ease of using outdoor activities as a way to overcome addiction is a huge positive and should be included in any type of drug rehab center.

Many different strategies are being introduced to try and treat addicted individuals. Each rehab center and medication is not a cure-all for addiction. We know that everyone is unique, and diverse treatments are needed for different individuals. Using outdoor activities is a technique that is effective, easy-to-use, and can be included in an individual’s lifestyle forever.