Research supports the fact that exercise can be a real and effective treatment for your addiction recovery, particularly as part of a structured drug rehabilitation and recovery program. Exercise affects every part of your recovery, including aspects of emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual health. With so many exercise options to choose from, it is one of the most versatile treatments that you can explore, but you should also consult with your doctor or healthcare provider to find out if there are modifications you should consider, particularly if you have not exercised regularly and/or if there are specific health concerns.
Stress Reduction
Even outside of the realm of addiction recovery and sobriety, exercise is commonly seen as a way to reduce and eliminate stress from your life. Being part of a drug rehabilitation and recovery program can be a source of additional stress, as you start out on your path toward sobriety. With so many stresses to deal with every day, all that tension builds up. You need a way to release it. You may have used alcohol or drugs as an outlet for that stress and tension in the past, but in your addiction recovery, exercise is a way to release the negative feelings.
Brain Chemistry
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which might feel like a “natural high,” which makes you feel happy and satisfied. It can be the same kind of feelings that you experienced when you were using drugs and alcohol, but these are healthy, good ways to get to a state of health and wellness. Exercise also offers the added benefit of being able to support continued effects from those heightened endorphin levels. Long term, exercise can actually change your brain’s chemistry in healthy and positive ways. It not only supports treatment, but it can help you develop strategic approaches to encourage future sobriety and prevent addiction relapse.
Improved Outlook
When you’re on the path to recovery and sobriety, the path ahead can look dark, depressing, and impossible. Exercise has the added benefit of making you see the possibility of a better future. You may feel rejuvenated, invigorated, or just more alive when you exercise. It also helps that exercise can help you sleep and eat better, because you may finally have an appetite, so you feel more rested. You may experience clarity of understanding about where you are in your recovery process. Aerobic exercise can support a feeling of fulfillment and accomplishment as you achieve your exercise goals and milestones. You can see and feel the difference in your health, wellness, and just the way you look at life when you exercise on a regular basis.
Meditation in Motion
While alternative treatment and care options have included meditation and yoga, more structured forms of aerobic exercise can also offer similar positive effects for recovering patients in treatment. The Mayo Clinic calls it “meditation in motion” because exercise can help you achieve a meditative state, where you can contemplate your situation without judgment or repercussions. You’re able to remove yourself from the chaos and confusion that you might be feeling as you work through the recovery process. You’re just there exercising.
Why You Should Contact Crosspointe Recovery
Crosspointe Recovery is a drug & alcohol treatment program for addiction recovery, located in Sherman Oaks, California. The comprehensive drug rehabilitation program offers detox and inpatient treatment to meet your specific care and treatment needs. It is a unique program because it’s a cross between a traditional treatment program and one with more modern therapies. We help you overcome addiction and substance abuse, with a goal toward achieving life-long sobriety. Find out more about the program and join us for treatment today.