Surrounded by sunshine, fresh air, beautiful scenery and soothing sounds can be a therapeutic experience. In addition to the general health benefits of spending time outdoors, people who overcome medication use disorders (SUDs) have specific advantages. If you are on the path of a materialless lifestyle, you can help you recover by improving your mental and physical health and laying the foundation for building new habits.
Five natural benefits of addiction recovery
Here are five ways to get exposure to nature helps to restore addiction.
1. Symptoms of easy withdrawal
The journey of recovery usually begins with removing the medication from the system. This step can be difficult to navigate due to withdrawal symptoms, which can feel like your body is struggling to stop or alleviate the reaction to use. The symptoms you experience may vary greatly depending on the substance you use and how long it lasts. Withdrawals can also last for several days to several months.
In addition to seeking professional detox support to help remove medication from your body and manage symptoms safely, spending time outdoors is also a great antidote. If you’re good enough, you can do some exercise outside to help you spread your challenge.
However, even at rest may divert your attention. Focusing on the warmth of the sun on your skin, the sound of the breeze, the smell of the earth and the greening around you can help you feel better.
2. Improve your mental health
Strong emotions usually play a major role in the development of addiction and are a common trigger for relapse. Many studies have shown that spending time in nature can improve your mental health by reducing anxiety, stress and anger. As a result, outdoor activities can help reduce these potential triggers. Sunlight can also increase the brain’s serotonin release, which helps to improve mood.
Additionally, regular exposure to natural light may help you get good night rest by adjusting your sleep and wake cycles. Sleep is an important ally and is often overlooked when staying awake. While helping to stabilize your mood, a consistent sleep style can promote a positive mindset and help you build resilience to deal with the challenges of recovery.
3. Improve physical health
SUDS can cause damage to the body, so it is crucial to prioritize strategies for repairing and revitalizing your health. Another method in nature can help restore drug use, which is through improving physical health.
Contacting the sun’s light causes your body to increase the production of vitamin D, one of the many nutrients you need to stay healthy, related to the function of the immune system. Studies have also shown that low levels of vitamin D lead to higher risk of addiction, especially opioids.
4. Find the balance
Due to the nature of SUD, those who have experienced this chronic disease often have excessive habits. As a result, balance is probably one of the hardest things to achieve when overcoming addiction. However, a sense of balance can be the key to preventing you from returning to the old mode by default.
Spending some quiet moments in nature in today’s technology-driven world can help you find this balance in one aspect of your life. Off the screen and take a break from constant notifications, it can provide much-needed psychological reset.
5. Get a new perspective
From the sunrise every morning to the revival of spring life every year, nature is full of fresh beginnings. Even after disasters such as fires and floods, the natural environment is strong enough to rebuild itself.
This may help to see nature as a metaphor for recovery. Spending time outdoors regularly can remind you that sobering is a new beginning and that you have the ability to get back to life. The breathtaking landscape can also remind people how small it is in the grand scheme of the world – some may find comfort in the sense of humility that this realization brings.
How to connect with nature during addiction recovery
Now that you know how nature affects the recovery of addiction and can help you on your sober journey, here are some ideas for connecting with the outdoors.
move
There are many sports activities you can do outside, such as cycling, hiking and yoga. You can also choose to have a gentler exercise, such as stroll or perform some stretching exercises.
In addition to the mental health benefits of simply going out, exercise promotes the release of endorphins and dopamine, which are also good hormones. Being active can also have a great positive impact on your physical health, from building strength and endurance to lowering blood pressure, all of which can help repair the body after long periods of use of substances.
In addition, regular physical exercise in nature can help you build healthy routines. With a daily or weekly schedule, you will have less time to stay in the past and encounter situations that may be potential triggers, helping you maintain a sober lifestyle.
Start gardening
Gardening provides a literal way to connect with nature. Plus, letting your hands dirty, seed seeds and watching them grow into plants can provide satisfaction throughout the recovery process. Take care of the houseplants or attend the community garden near you and can also do wonders if you don’t have a yard.
Like gardening, getting new hobbies is also a great way to help maintain sobriety. During the withdrawal phase, new healthy habits can be another welcome distraction or replace old patterns that don’t serve you, helping to prevent relapses.
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Nature is an ideal environment for simple relaxation and existence. You can lie down and watch the clouds float, read a book under the tree, or color in an adult coloring book.
Mindfulness techniques can also help recover by encouraging awareness and helping you accept emotions, thoughts, and feelings rather than trying to suppress them. You can meditate, practice breathing exercises, or diary. Although these practices are already valuable, doing them outdoors gives you the benefits of sunshine and fresh air.
Why do you need to recover and trust us?
At Diamond House Detox, we create a nurturing environment for recovery and recovery using evidence-based treatments provided by evidence-based therapists and experienced therapists and healthcare practitioners. We believe in a holistic approach, which is why we specialize in concurrent mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, as well as our addiction recovery programs and medically assisted detox services.
Addiction is a chronic disease that usually requires continuous support. This is why many of our clients choose to continue to receive outpatient services after completing our residential plans. Doing so can provide them with ongoing care and help to maintain a sober lifestyle.
In addition to participating in peer groups, ongoing treatments and regular checkups, Diamond House detox can help you find healthy time to take up time, such as gardening or hiking. Connecting with nature, combined with traditional therapy can be a powerful tool for your path to sobering.
Continue recovery through our outpatient services
While overcoming SUD can pose expected and unexpected challenges, you can stay motivated with effective treatment, guidance, and healthy habits, such as spending time in nature. Continue your recovery journey with Diamond House Detox’s outpatient services, such as our intensive outpatient programs across Northern California. With personalized care solutions, we provide our clients with the support they need to sober – we are here to do the same for you.
Our outpatient visits can also be beneficial if you are starting a recovery path and are unable to commit to a residential plan due to work, family, or other responsibilities. If you have a safe and supportive environment, products like medically assisted outpatient detoxification are available, and our partial hospitalization program allows you to receive treatment while still living at home and going to work or school.
Contact us today to find out if our outpatient services are right for you or the people you care about.
Vicky is a board certified family mental health nurse practitioner certified by the American Nurses Certification Center. She began her nursing career in health care by working in the intensive care unit and then in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. After realizing the mental health needs of patients and serving their families, she became a psychiatric nurse. In working with clients, she developed a passion for those with dual diagnosis and specifically helped individuals recognize the issues that drive their substance use. This awareness is crucial to individuals’ success in therapy. Vicky turned on Diamond House detox so she could address these issues early in her therapeutic environment to enable clients to transition to the next level in recovery.
