4 Healthy Activities to Support Your Opioid Addiction Recovery
Changing any habit is more effective if you are able to focus on doing something healthy and positive in addition to the activities and behaviors that you are trying to stop doing or NOT doing.
A friend recovering from opioid addiction once told me, “being an addict is easy. You just have one thing to worry about. Getting high.” My friend suffered from his addiction for more than 10 years. When he stop using, his life become more complex and he had many other welcomed, but sometimes challenging responsibilities.
It is important to fill our time and our life with healthy activities that can become positive habits as we are transitioning from living a life of addiction.
We have provided examples of 4 positive activities that can support your path to recovery.
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Exercise
Exercise can come in many forms. Some people like to run sprints or a fast-paced game of basketball while others prefer more mild types of exercise like a brisk walk or some simple stretches. Even vigours breathing can help improve your cardiovascular system and focus. Exercising on a regular basis helps your brain heal from addiction and is very important for the health of your heart and your blood vessels. It is also a great way to spend time alone doing something that can feel great (sometimes not until after you finish) or with friends. Lastly, it is a healthy long-term habit that can make you feel better physically and mentally.
2. Tidy-up and Beautify Your Surroundings
Whatever size or shape your space is, it can feel GREAT to tidy it up and make it feel, smell, and look nice. Picking up and organizing items, dusting, vacuuming, even scrubbing the bathtub can feel like a great sense of accomplishment and a healthy way to spend some time. You also can do this anytime no matter the time of day or the weather outside. Organizing and cleaning up on the outside can make you feel more at peace and good on the inside.
3. Learn/ Do Something New
Learning new things helps create a sense of accomplishment. It doesn’t have to be anything too difficult or expensive. You can try a new recipe or learn how to draw. You could learn how to knit or even a new skill like web design or creative writing. Nearly every town has a public library with books about everything. They also usually have computers that are available for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour at a time. There are millions of free courses on YouTube and other sites where you can learn about nearly anything you can imagine. You can also try things you did when you are a kid like cartwheels, walking on your hands, and jumping rope. These last activities may sound silly, but give them a try. Setting a small goal and achieving it will give you a sense of accomplishment and help build your confidence.
4. Make a “Happy List”
When you get bored or sad sometimes it is difficult to think about something positive. So, make a list of the things that make you happy and display it in a very visible place (in your clean and tidy room :)) or carry it in your purse or your pocket. Nothing is too small or too big for your happy list. you can write a joke, draw pictures, write loved ones’ names, the titles of songs, foods, places, etc. It is your list and you can put anything you want on it. When you look at it and it makes you happy, make a little mark on it as a reminder that it worked!
We’d love to hear suggestions from you about healthy activities that helped you overcome addiction. Please leave suggestions and comments below.
If you’d like to learn more about our innovative opioid addiction recovery program, check out the rest of our site or call us 330-259-4849 .
