Hitting the recovery road is hard for people because they are forced to do new things they haven’t done before. Every step is new, filled with fears, challenges, and limiting beliefs being rocked. Recreation therapy can help you build confidence, trust in yourself and others, and support you in recovery. A huge piece of the puzzle of recovery is learning to be vulnerable to try new things.
How it Works
Recreation therapy utilizes recreation services so people can grow in their recovery. Social interaction, communication, and problem-solving skills are just a few of the things people can gain from recreational activity. The focus is to remind the person of what they enjoy and promote sober fun. A large number of people cannot remember what they enjoy outside of the drugs. Leisure education is a key component to restarting your life in recovery. Planning how it will work and how it supports recovery is key. In recovery programs, there are specialists trained to help you gain insight into how you can utilize these skills in support of your goal.
Goals for Recovery
Team building activities are one way to build recreation into recovery. People are given limited supplies and people to help them. From there, they have to utilize what they have to meet a certain goal. This can be figuring out how to get something done together, doing a rock climbing wall that supports one person on the wall while the other is at the bottom helping them. Every activity is designed so people can participate and find enjoyment. Some of the goals for enhancing the experience include:
- Self determination
- Motivating yourself by getting energized around how you want to achieve an end goal
- Finding joy and peace in the experience
- Improving the functioning of the body, mind, and spirit so the person is motivated to engage in the activity
Benefits of Play
Some of the other benefits of recreation therapy are that it can be playful and fun. It improves social functioning, develops confidence, improves outlook on recovery, and decreases feelings of loneliness. Recovery can feel isolating. It does not have to feel that way if you participate in a group activity that suits your personality. From Zumba dance class to rock climbing, paddleboarding, or basketball, there is something for everyone. The key is to tap into the potential for recreational therapy to do work in your life that supports how you desire to grow and become better in recovery.
Oceanfront is all about you and what you need in recovery. We focus on the principle of providing excellent care paired with the best services for your health. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 877-279-1777
