Much of addiction recovery is about relapse prevention.
It’s never about testing your willpower but rather learning how to live life without drugs or alcohol. There are many changes that a person has to make when they complete addiction treatment. It’s easy to focus on all of the things you can’t do in recovery instead of on the things you can. So what do sober people do for fun? As a recovery advocate who struggled with heroin addiction in the past, Brandon Novak understands the importance of enjoying sober activities. Below are a few you may enjoy.
Importance of Finding Sober Activities to Enjoy
One of the most basic rules of relapse prevention and recovery from addiction is to redefine fun. As a skateboarder, Brandon often struggled with the use of drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse is common in the skateboarding community. While not all skaters have an addiction, many become caught up in that particular lifestyle. Although he still enjoys skating, Brandon had to turn his life around and redefine his idea of having fun. He’s cautious of who he spends time with and where he goes. If you’re in addiction recovery, you should think this way as well. It’s not always easy to readjust your idea of fun when you always associated it with drinking or drugs. You have to find new ways of experiencing joy and happiness that don’t include these substances.
What Sober People Do for Fun
If your idea of fun prior to rehab had to do with drinking or doing drugs, then you may be at a loss of how to enjoy yourself after rehab without compromising your sobriety. While the initial change will be challenging and it won’t feel the same as it used to when you were still engaged in substance abuse, like anything, you have to give it time. There are plenty of fun, sober activities that won’t make it difficult for you to stay clean. Here are a few things you can do this weekend that are unique and won’t put your recovery at risk.
Get Into Working Out
While you may think exercising isn’t your cup of tea, it can improve your mood and health, as well as reduce stress. Working out doesn’t have to consist of going to the gym several times a week or lifting weights. Exercise can include a variety of activities like yoga, pilates, playing sports, swimming, kayaking, and more. Don’t like running? Go hiking instead. The important thing is to get your body moving, get those endorphins pumping, and get your mind away from any recovery struggles.
Be a Tourist in Your Home Town
Tourist attractions provide lots of opportunities to have fun, especially if you’ve never experienced them before. What better way to enjoy yourself and learn more about your hometown than to visit museums, attend local music shows, or soak up the delicious food and ambiance of a farmer’s market? You can also stop by a zoo or botanical garden, go on a guided tour, or discover a new local wildlife preserve or park. Not only will you learn more about your local area, but you’ll also have the opportunity to meet new people.
Play Sports
Although the stigma and misconceptions about skateboarding played a role in Brandon’s addiction to heroin, the sport was also a form of therapy for him after treatment. A great way to have fun in recovery is to play a sport. Whether you join a team or just get together with friends to play a game, you can enjoy sports like video games, mini-golfing, football, basketball, baseball, and more.
Learn How to Make Something
There’s something uniquely challenging about making things. If you’ve ever been neck-deep in DIY (“do it yourself”) tutorials, then you may understand how there’s nothing more satisfying than making something you like. This idea isn’t limited to artsy people, either. Thanks to YouTube, Pinterest, and the other countless resources the internet has to offer, anyone can learn how to make almost anything. Whether it’s painting, drawing, building furniture, or sculpting, dedicate yourself to completing one DIY project. Not only will this provide a sense of achievement, but it also promotes patience and discipline.
Do Something at Home
You don’t have to go out to have fun. You can host fun, sober nighttime activities right in your living room. You can host a movie marathon, game night, or a sober party with music and dancing. Maybe, to change it up a bit, you’d rather host a fancy dinner and ask your guests to dress up formally. Not only can this be fun and often more affordable than going out, but you also have more control over what’s being served at the party.
Relax
Who said doing nothing couldn’t be fun? Another fantastic thing sober people do is relax. Relaxation is important for supporting mental health and for relieving stress. While the idea of a vacation may be fun, sometimes the best way to unwind is by doing so in the comfort of your own home. Put on a nice movie, binge-watch a show (or two), enjoy a nice dinner, take a long bath, have a picnic, plant some flowers, read, journal, meditate, or just sleep. Enjoy the little things. There are simple ways to fill the time and have fun that are beneficial to your recovery.
As a recovery advocate for Redemption Addiction Treatment Centers, Brandon Novak has gained a lot of experience in his six years of sobriety. In addition to being a part of the recovery community for Redemption, he’s also a certified intervention specialist that’s helped numerous families and their loved ones begin the recovery process. If you want to learn more about his intervention and safe living services at Novak’s House, call Brandon now at (610) 314-6747.
