Alternative Recovery Methods
Life is the ultimate healing process. Every morning offers new opportunities to experience the world in cool, strange, and interesting ways; these are all activities that may lend themselves to your burgeoning recovery.
By embracing alternative ways to lead a sober life, you add to your toolkit of wellness and wonder. Check out these methods that we find challenging, thought-provoking, and just downright fun…
ROPES COURSE
Healthy living is a journey, an adventure, and a goal. An apt metaphor would be mountain climbing; you see the peak looming above and you must use your cunning, strength, and resolve to reach the top. That’s why a ropes course is an ideal way to bring the metaphor home and challenge participants to focus on an attainable goal that’s in their hands and heads rather than a nebulous idea. Sure, you’re on your way to a sober future, but for now, just reach for the next level. One step at a time, one day at a time, one triumph at a time…
MEDITATION
Mindfulness meditation is a method by which an individual detaches from the noise and clutter of the outside world and listens inward instead. By acknowledging the cravings and pitfalls that we encounter every day, we become more aware of our challenges and therefore better equipped to conquer them. In a recent study, one group of patients who practiced mindful meditation had a relapse rate of 8%, as compared with the control groups that averaged a 20% relapse rate.
BIOSOUND THERAPY
As the old saying goes, music soothes the savage beast, and what beast is more savage than the disease of addiction? By creating a calming rhythm/frequency combination, we can settle the soul in ways that are profound and effective. BioSound Therapy places the participant in a comfortable chair and lulls him into a state of placidity. This is the perfect starting point for a serene new direction in life.
YOGA
Speaking of serenity, yoga is an ideal way to harmonize your mind, body, and soul. Substance use takes its toll on all of the above, but yoga helps us reconnect with our physicality in meaningful and momentous ways. Every stretch helps with blood flow, which oxygenates our tissue and brain matter. By thinking clearly, we are more prepared to make healthy decisions. It’s a cyclical phenomenon whereby the participant just gets more and more positive feedback from his own musculature, driving him to higher states of Zen with each session.
ADVENTURE THERAPY
Camping is more than just pitching a tent and foraging for berries; it’s a return to nature and a quest for survival. In this modern era, we spend more time on our phones than we do with the world at large, so this is a chance to disconnect in a crucial break with the grid. When you’re out in the wild with a team of like-minded adventure seekers, you must work together to solve problems (no googling allowed)! This builds camaraderie, bolsters problem-solving skills, and reconfigures how we think about society and our place within it. These are all vital issues for someone contemplating the larger challenge of sober living, so adventure therapy is a breath of fresh air for anyone in rehab.
BRAIN MAPPING
The human brain is the most complex computer the world has ever seen. It dictates feelings, logic, and motor functions with split-second precision. By mapping the dimensions and chemical flow within the brain, we can get an actual picture of how you think and what your mind is capable of achieving. This map, in essence, becomes a guidebook for how to approach your individual needs as you embark upon the journey towards a brighter tomorrow.
EQUINE THERAPY
Service animals are becoming more and more prevalent, but they are by no means a new mode of therapy. Dogs, rabbits, and even dolphins have a curious history in the treatment of various neurological and psychological disorders, but horses have been part of our collective healing process as far back as the sixth century BC. Way back then, Greek thinkers attributed therapeutic benefits to equine contact, and their role in relating to autistic kids continues to this day. By communing with an animal as majestic and powerful as a horse, we get outside of our heads and into a routine of care and discipline. What’s good for the horse is good for the rider, so equine therapy is leaping and bounding its way into our current lexicon. Giddy up!
PHYSICAL FITNESS
Many people who experiment with drugs and alcohol are looking for an escape, for a way to alter their reality, for a rush or a dulling of the senses. When they break with that destructive lifestyle, they often look for something to fill the void. By far the healthiest substitute for substance use is physical fitness. When you work out, you activate the endorphins in your body, sometimes attaining a so-called “runner’s high” in the process. This is a liberating sensation brought on naturally, and it activates the pleasure centers of your brain without any deleterious side effects.
Can’t decide on which of the aforementioned disciplines to try first? Well, here’s some great news for you: we offer them all at Windward Way! Concentrating on the needs of men in the throes of addiction, our expert staff can lead you through the joys of mindful living, sober thriving, and reconnecting with the best you possible.
So contact us today and be ready to saddle up, downward dog, or simply plug into the vibrant chorus of activities of your choosing. Talk soon!
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