You entered into to a PHP to treat your excessive drinking, but now that you are out, you have a lot of free time on your hands.
How can you safely fill the void that your addiction has left behind? Whether you pick up an instrument or throw yourself into writing, creativity in addiction recovery is an important aspect of your journey for long-lasting sober living.
Creative Outlets for Addiction Recovery: Why They Work
As an addiction rehab in Pompano, we strongly encourage our patients to try different creative outlets for addiction recovery because we know that for many people they work. There are numerous benefits to creative expression in recovery.
Creativity Good for Mental Health
Creativity in addiction recovery is good for your mental health. At Banyan Pompano, we know that all too often substance abuse problems are related to poor mental health, but creative outlets give you a chance to reduce your stress and focus on something that is enjoyable. It may also give some people a renewed sense of purpose that they lost when they were in their darkest days of addiction. One study found that people with chronic mental health condition who regularly participated in an arts-based group reported a significant increase in positive emotions and a long-lasting decrease in negative emotions. [1]
Healthy Use of Free Time
If you have been in a PHP or IOP, you know that treatment often involves a strict routine and busy schedule. Once you leave, your schedule becomes much less regulated and you are left with more free time. Rather than letting your drug cravings creep in at this time, a creative out can be a welcome distraction.
Creativity Helps You Cope
While creativity in addiction recovery can be fun, it may also help you cope with any traumatic experience. If you are struggling to talk about your emotions, journaling about them can also be a comforting and cathartic release. Research has shown that writing about your emotions and your traumatic experiences can help people move past these experiences as well as help them eventually open up to someone in person. [2]
New Support Group
If you take an art class or join a singing group, you also have the opportunity to meet new people with the same interests as you. While your alcohol addiction treatment may have provided you with various forms of support specifically for addiction recovery, your new hobby could give you more friends that you share another common bond with. This may be especially important if most of your friends outside of addiction treatment are still into partying and drinking. These groups may also help hold you accountable as you are expected to attend.
To learn more about our substance abuse treatment center in Pompano, contact us today at 888-280-4763. Get out of the downward spiral and start living happily again.
Sources:
- British Journal; of Clinical Psychology - Choir singing and creative writing enhance emotion regulation in adults with chronic mental health conditions
- Harvard Health Publishing- Writing about emotions may ease stress and trauma
