Participating in outdoor activities can help you find a new perspective and get a breath of fresh air. It can help clear your mind, refresh your body, and encourage physical health improvement. These are just a few of the reasons that Spero Recovery uses outdoor activities during recovery. For more information, reach out today at (303) 351-7888.
Use of Outdoor Activities During Recovery
Outdoor activities come in a variety of intensities and types. All have been seen to have both physical and mental benefits. They can also help benefit the community as a whole.
Types
There are a multitude of outdoor activities that you can participate in, which include:
- Hiking- promotes physical activity and connection to nature.
- Bike riding- improves your physical health.
- Gardening- is a productive way to improve your environment, enjoy nature, and get in some physical activity.
- Sports- can provide an outlet for your feelings and give you the chance to be part of a community.
- Play games- helps you be part of a community.
- Observing wildlife, such as birds in a park or serene place- this can be tranquil and give you something else to focus on so you can step away from your thoughts.
- Walk around barefoot- provides a tactile stimulus for you to concentrate on. Some also believe you can release negative energy into the Earth by physically connecting to the Earth.
- Reading under a tree- gives you a change of scenery to do something you enjoy, while also being able to connect with nature.
Benefits
There are physical, mental, and community benefits to using outdoor activities in the recovery process. The United States Department of Agriculture published an article in March 2021 about the benefits, and they state:
- Physical
- Promote physical activity which can increase fitness levels.
- Connecting with nature can decrease your heart rate and muscle tension and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease.
- Improve immunity through increased levels of vitamin d.
- Mental
- Lower stress and depression levels.
- Increase your focus, attention to detail, and concentration levels.
- Outdoor activities can act as a way to bring you together with your friends and family. This gives you the opportunity to be with your support system and get the help you need.
- Community
- Reduces environmental stressors.
- Having areas of nature within the community can decrease the crime rate.
- People are more neighborly in areas that have more nature.
These benefits can make it easier for you to stick with your recovery plan and make it to long-term sobriety. You will feel better, be more open to connection, and have an improved environment.
Spero Recovery
Spero Recovery is a recovery facility that prides itself on providing effective and affordable care. We use grants and donations to help keep our costs below the national average. This makes us the perfect match for under and uninsured individuals.
Our recovery programs are based on the 12 steps but have no religious affiliation. We focus on the aspects of community to work through recovery, that your addiction is a mental illness that you are not in control of, and looking for forgiveness from yourself and those you wronged. The programs are separate for men and women because we understand there are different needs to be met. For example, the men’s program puts an emphasis on eliminating the mentality of being a man. This teaches them that talking about their feelings, embracing them, and asking for help when they need it are not weaknesses.
Alumni of our programs come back to lead experiential therapy sessions. This is beneficial for you because it gives you the opportunity to connect with someone that has been through a similar situation, which may make it easier for you to confide in them. They are given the opportunity to give back to their community, find a sense of purpose, and connect with others that are working on The Twelve Steps and their recovery journey. These sessions include activities like cooking classes, meditation, woodworking, and outdoor activities.
Their Use of Outdoor Activities During Recovery
We have a vast 16-square-mile property located in the Colorado mountains, which gives us the ability to provide the option to participate in various outdoor activities. The activities we provide include:
- Hiking
- Sand volleyball
- Rock climbing
- Mountain biking
- Outdoor meditation sessions
There are two destination summits that you can hike to, as well as a lake to visit.
These activities give you something to look forward to. They also give you an outlet for your emotions, help you connect with others and your environment in a healthy way, and help with your physical and mental wellness. Participating in outdoor activities can help you form healthy relationships with others on their recovery journey, and give you the opportunity to talk with people who have been through similar situations as you.
Recovery can be a long and difficult journey. The use of outdoor activities can help make this journey a little easier. They have been seen to have both physical and mental benefits. Being outside can give you a change in scenario, let you get a breath of fresh air (literally and metaphorically), and allow you to connect with nature. It can help you become aware of your surrounding and provide stress relief in a way you didn’t know you needed. If you feel like you are struggling with choosing the right program for your recovery journey, reach out to Spero Recovery at (303) 351-7888 for more information today. We want to help you reach your long-term sobriety goals.
