Someone caught in the cycle of addiction will make just about any excuse to continue justifying or rationalizing their substance misuse. When you have gotten in the habit of using drugs or alcohol as a coping strategy to deal with stress and anxiety, you may come to believe being high or drunk is the only way you can unwind and have fun. However, there’s nothing fun about being trapped in the cycle of substance abuse. It’s essential to accept the damage you are doing to your life to get the help you need.
When the Fun Stops
In many instances, people first begin drinking or using drugs in social situations, where these substances can allow social anxieties to melt away. However, addiction eventually transforms alcohol and drugs from enjoyable things that help people relax occasionally into substances users crave intensely.
Eventually, those who are locked in the grip of addiction become obsessed with the thought of their next fix. They’re chasing after a misconception that someday, using alcohol or drugs will feel like fun again, rather than something they must do daily just to feel normal and avoid the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal.
How Boredom Threatens Recovery
If you were accustomed to drinking or using drugs every day to fill a void in your life, you may find yourself at loose ends once you are newly out of addiction treatment and working to maintain your sobriety.
People who allow themselves to get bored often begin glamorizing their past days of drug use or drinking, choosing to ignore all the negativity and self-destructive behaviors they engaged in before admitting to the extent of their problem. Since boredom is a very real path back to addiction for many people, keeping busy and finding new ways to have fun in recovery is integral to protecting your hard-earned sobriety.
Healthy Ways to Have Fun in Recovery
Finding new activities that help you have fun in recovery is especially vital for anyone who maintained an active addiction for many years, as your drug or alcohol use may have taken over your personality and made you forget about things you enjoyed doing before you succumbed to substance misuse.
An integral part of addiction recovery involves embracing the opportunity to change and make a fresh start. Here are some ideas for new activities and hobbies you can pursue in addiction recovery as you discover the exhilaration of living a sober life.
- Extreme Sports
If you feel like the thrill is gone now that you are no longer using, one of the best ways to replace a chemical high with an all-natural one is with sports such as kayaking, mountain biking or hang-gliding. - Learning New Things
Everyone has something they’ve always wanted to be able to do, whether that’s cooking, building furniture, computer programming, photography or speaking a different language. You can spend your time in sobriety taking courses in person or find a wealth of free classes online. Not only is continuing learning rewarding; it’s an excellent way to boost your self-confidence. - Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness
Practices like yoga and meditation teach you how to center yourself and live in the moment. Retraining your thought patterns is a major part of addiction recovery, and yoga – especially combined with mindfulness meditation – can help you do just that.
Addiction Treatment in Long Beach, CA
During your treatment process, you must learn how to have fun in recovery and accept that you don’t need to rely on alcohol or drugs to have a good time and love your life. As you continue on your journey of recovery at New Found Life, you’ll gain a new perspective that enables you to take pleasure in the simplest things.