Drugs and alcohol lure you in with a rush of endorphins. There’s a sense of euphoria shortly after the substances enter your system, and you feel great – at last, for a little while. However, those feelings fade faster and faster each time you use, which often leads to escalating drug abuse and even harder crashes. One of the things you lose in this self-destructive cycle is the natural high you can feel by experiencing other pleasurable activities.
At Footprints Beachside Recovery, treatment includes reconnecting clients with safer, healthier and natural highs through a variety of experiential therapy activities like outdoor therapy.
What is Outdoor Therapy?
Outdoor therapy can be any activity that provides benefits to your physical and mental health while experiencing and appreciating nature. This approach can work with those already inclined to commune with nature, as well as those who might be more comfortable indoors. Hiking, fishing, wilderness retreats, yoga on the beach and a number of other experiences can be utilized to reinvigorate your life and senses. Our location here on the Gulf Coast provides a beautiful, refreshing atmosphere that can enhance the benefits of outdoor therapy.
Benefits of Outdoor Therapy
Removing yourself from the hustle and bustle of daily life and immersing yourself in nature carries many potential benefits, including:
- Reduced stress: Studies show that viewing or interacting with nature can speed up recovery times, inspire positive moods and reduce troublesome thoughts.
- Heightened state of mindfulness: Without all the distractions, you can become more in tune with your thoughts and feelings.
- Developing a sense of purpose: Connecting with nature and its systems can help you recognize that you are part of something bigger—giving you a sense of belonging.
- Improved physical health: Physical activity, fresh air and sunshine are all part of a healthy routine that can make you feel better.
- Increased focus during recovery: Because addiction treatment involves dealing with some uncomfortable topics and emotions, taking a break for some more relaxing modes of therapy can keep you on track.
Other Types of Experiential Therapy Activities
Outdoor therapy is a form of experiential therapy. There are numerous other activities like this that break out of traditional therapeutic settings to increase your comfort level when confronting difficult thoughts, feelings and memories. Experiential therapy helps you develop the ability to be your own catalyst for positive, lasting change.
Other forms of experiential therapy can include:
Get Help with Addiction Recovery in Florida
The programs at Footprints Beachside Recovery are customized to meet the needs of each client that comes to us for help. No two instances of addiction are exactly the same, so our compassionate, knowledgeable staff will work with you to find a course of action that best fits your situation.
Searching for a rehab facility can present you with a lot of options. If you’ve tried treatment before and experienced setbacks, we can help with relapse prevention techniques. Our team is qualified to deal with factors that can complicate addiction like unresolved trauma and PTSD.
Do you have questions about what treatment is like at Footprints Beachside Recovery? Talk to one of our addiction specialists today and start the next happier, healthier chapter in your life.
