Drug Recovery and Exercise

Drug Recovery and Exercise
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drug recovery and exerciseOnce you’ve made the commitment to recovery, you’ll probably notice that addiction has taken a toll on your physical health. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to restore your body to a strong, healthy state. Working out boosts blood circulation, stimulates the heart and lungs, and builds endurance. It also provides a wealth of psychological and emotional benefits, like enhancing self-esteem and helping you manage the anxiety and depression that can jeopardize your recovery.

Exercise is a part of many of the top drug rehab programs. When you enroll in a professional rehab center, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in daily workouts, yoga classes, martial arts or personal training. These classes could be the beginning of a healthy new passion that will continue to support you after you leave rehab.

How Exercise Helps With Recovery

Can working out really help you recover from alcohol, cocaine, marijuana or meth addiction? New clinical research on the benefits of exercise in recovery shows promising results. A pilot study published in Mental Health and Physical Activity followed a group of drug-addicted patients who participated in a three-month aerobic exercise class as part of a comprehensive drug rehab program. At the end of their treatment, patients who participated on a regular basis showed the following benefits:

  • A noticeable increase in the number of days they were able to stay clean
  • Better overall outcomes from substance abuse treatment
  • An improvement in cardiovascular fitness

Cardiovascular exercise can boost the brain’s production of neurotransmitters that support emotional stability and a sense of well-being, like dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. Many illicit drugs interfere with the production of these chemicals, causing the intense cravings and emotional instability that characterize addiction. Exercises like yoga and tai chi can increase self-awareness and help the mind stay focused on the present. No matter what form of exercise you prefer, working out can help you manage stress and stay centered on your recovery program.

Can Exercise Become an Addiction?

When exercise is integrated into a complete recovery plan, it can be a powerful tool for overcoming addiction. But for some people who are recovering from drug or alcohol abuse, exercise itself becomes a substitute for the compulsive behavior. Here are a few warning signs that your exercise program may be unhealthy:

  • You insist on sticking to a rigorous regimen, even when you’re injured or sick.
  • You skip recovery meetings or counseling sessions because you feel compelled to work out instead.
  • Your exercise plan interferes with your time with family, friends or other sober activities.
  • You’re never happy with the goals you’ve reached in your exercise program; you feel compelled to keep pushing yourself, in spite of what you’ve already achieved.

For a recovering drug addict or alcoholic, creating a balanced life is one of the biggest challenges of rehab. Your treatment team can help you strike the right balance between the components of your rehab program, including therapy, self-help groups, family counseling and exercise.

At Michael’s House, we offer affordable addiction treatment plans for people who are struggling to achieve stability, health and happiness. We give you a variety of tools to facilitate the recovery process. Call us to find out how a comprehensive treatment program can help you rebuild your life on a more solid foundation.

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