Many people are under the misconception that one method is enough for recovery. This is rarely the case. The key to a successful recovery is to utilize as many means, methods, and modalities as possible. For example, exercise is helpful for recovery, but exercise alone is not enough to sustain a successful recovery.
What Is Essential During Recovery?
There are many essential components for recovery. Most of them come from within. For example, “willingness” is essential for recovery. If you are not willing to do the work, then you are most likely not ready for the recovery journey.
Another essential component for recovery is “acceptance.” If you are not ready to accept that you have a problem, then you are most likely not ready for all that it takes to fully recover.
Of course, even before working with these two components, you must be “aware” that a problem even exists. How are you going to start to solve a problem if you don’t know you have one? With addiction, a lack of awareness often stems from denial. The good news is that sometimes these components fall into place when a family or loved one intervenes on your behalf. Additionally, these critical components can come into play while the process of recovery is in motion.
The Benefits of Exercise for Recovery
It is important to note that while exercise should not be the only means of recovery, it can be very helpful. Addiction is also, in part, a physical disease and thus requires a physical solution.
According to The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, “Exercise’s broad positive health, mood-enhancing, and anxiolytic effects; capacity to reduce the acute distress of withdrawal; and nearly universal safety profile when properly adapted for the individual make it an appealing adjunctive intervention to help attain abstinence and prevent relapse among individuals with SUDs. Evidence suggests that individuals with SUDs are interested in increasing their exercise levels and that they may derive benefits from regular exercise in terms of both general health/fitness and SUD recovery.”
Why Exercise Alone Is Not Enough for Recovery
It is important to remember that addiction is also a mental, emotional, and spiritual disease. Therefore, a physical solution is not enough for full mind-body recovery. This is also why addiction is often referred to as a “three-part illness” – physical, mental, and emotional.
When you forget to address all of these components, you are more susceptible to a relapse. Also, many people don’t realize just how common relapses are in the U.S.
According to the peer-reviewed thesis, Addiction Relapse Prevention, by Doctors Guenzel and McChargue, “One primary concern in addiction treatment is the high rate of relapses within a short period after even the most intensive treatment. Many studies have shown relapse rates of approximately 50% within the first 12 weeks after completion of intensive inpatient programs that often last four to 12 weeks or more and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.” One treatment that can help reduce the risk of relapse is group psychotherapy.
Group Psychotherapy for Recovery
Working with others in recovery can be highly beneficial. In fact, working with others can be so important that there is even a chapter dedicated to it in the primary text of 12-Step recovery (the Big Book). In one chapter, it states, “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking [and using substances] as intensive work with other [people in recovery]. It works when other activities fail. You can help when no one else can.”
This is also why group psychotherapy can be so effective for treating addiction. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “The natural propensity of human beings to congregate makes group therapy a powerful therapeutic tool for treating substance abuse, one that is as helpful as individual therapy, and sometimes more successful. One reason for this efficacy is that groups intrinsically have many rewarding benefits – such as reducing isolation and enabling members to witness the recovery of others – and these qualities draw clients into a culture of recovery. Another reason groups work so well is that they are suitable especially for treating problems that commonly accompany substance abuse, such as depression, isolation, and shame.”
Find Long-Term Success With Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future.
In many recovery rooms, there is a saying known as “the responsibility statement.” It reads, “I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of [recovery] always to be there. And for that, I am responsible.” At Lantana Recovery, we take that responsibility seriously. Recovery is waiting for you. We can help.
Many people think that addiction recovery should solely focus on the physical aspect of addiction. This is not the case. Certain physical modalities, like exercise, are helpful, but they must be part of a larger recovery picture. There are many effective means, methods, and modalities that can help you recover at the cellular level. If you feel like you or a loved one are struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about effective evidence-based modalities for long-term success, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
