When clients are admitted to an inpatient treatment center to get help for their addiction to drugs or alcohol, they realize that they are embarking on a complete lifestyle change. To achieve long-term sobriety, they will need to be willing to let go of their old method of dealing with stress, depression or boredom, which was to get drunk or high.
Since a good portion of an addict’s waking hours are consumed with his or her addiction (thinking about using them, obtaining them, or recovering after using them), sober activities are used to fill in the time once taken up by the cycle of addiction. They help to provide structure for a person’s day. Boredom and being at loose ends are two things that should be avoided.
Examples of Fun and Sober Activities
Here are some examples of activities that would be appropriate for someone who is in recovery:
- Go to the movies
- Visit an amusement park
- Go dancing
- Go to a sporting event
- Go for a walk or a hike
- Spend time with nature
- Go fishing
- Go on a picnic
- Visit a museum
- Go to a concert
- Sign up as a volunteer at a local organization
- Join a gym
- Sign up for a sports team
- Read a book
- Learn a new language
- Take a course at the local college or university or online
- Take an exercise class
- Meditate
Not all sober activities involve being with other people. A person in recovery needs to be able to set aside some time for quiet reflection on a regular basis as part of the healing process. It will take some time to rebuild a recovering alcoholic or drug addict’s self-esteem, and each person will need to proceed at his or her own pace when deciding how many new activities he or she wants to take on after leaving the treatment facility.
At Above It All Recovery Center, clients are actively involved in a number of activities while in residence. Regular exercise is part of the treatment program, and clients can enjoy hiking, swimming and boating while working on getting well. They will learn a new and healthier way of living life on life’s terms.