One of the best things you can do for yourself in recovery is to find things to do that you enjoy that keep you busy. Whether it’s reading, gardening, golfing, fishing, or any other leisurely activity, it should be something you really, genuinely enjoy doing and look forward to. That may sound a bit ridiculous to have to say; of course you should enjoy your hobbies, right? Well, yes, but when you’re in recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol, actually enjoying the hobbies can make all the difference between a more solid sobriety and struggling to manage triggers and cravings.
Think of it this way: when you’re hit with intense cravings triggered by something, and you decide to try to do something to occupy your time until that craving fades away, you are going to have a lot harder time focusing fully on something that you don’t enjoy than you would if you were doing something you liked. Yes, running a mile is great exercise and it’s a great way to distract yourself when you need it, but if you hate running, you’re going to start dreading having to lace up your shoes and go. If you don’t like it when you just want something to do, chances are you won’t like it when you need something to do.
You also need to to allow yourself to have fun again. Nowhere in what you learn in treatment does it say that you can’t have fun in life. Before, your fun was probably extremely dependent on drugs and alcohol. Now, you’re free. You can have fun doing whatever it is you want to do, and you should do so. Try new things, pick up the hobbies you once loved, and have fun. When you’re too busy having fun doing the things you enjoy, you’re going to be less likely to let your thoughts where you don’t want them to. Besides, if you’re having fun and really enjoying life, you’ll likely be too busy to think about anything else.
There’s no shame in having fun in sobriety, and there’s also no shame in needing help to get clean. If you’re struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, don’t lose one more day to addiction. The Springboard Center has staff available 24/7 to help you take the first steps towards sobriety. Make the call today: 432-620-0255.
