Simple hobbies that can help you curb an addiction
Battling an addiction is not a matter of just quitting; a good replacement to the void of the addiction matters a great deal. Take for instance people with cigarette addictions; they begin the fight against addiction by substituting the cigarette for nicotine chewing gum, then later two or three months down the line, they now switch to the regular chewing gum.
The same applies to other addictions like alcohol and drugs. So, the best ways to curb drug use is by finding something else more suitable than the drug and use it instead. It does not literally have to be a chewing gum, rather finding something that keeps you engaged and takes your time in drugs is the perfect remedy. So let’s discuss some activities that would get you started.
Running/Exercise
Distracting the body with exercise has proven to be among the best possible ways of fighting an addiction. A daily basis routine workout is a great way to kick-start your exercise routine. Running is a great choice of workout and you can either run outside with a running buddy or work it out in a gym on a treadmill. It is good to set reasonable running goals that will keep you engaged in the running and be a great way to distract yourself. Also, running is a good cardiovascular type of exercise and will improve your health conditions including your blood pressure and respiration capacity.
With exercise, endorphins are released from the brain which is therapeutic fighting depression. This will in turn lift your morale and spirits and help you against cravings for whatever drugs you are involved in.
Running and exercise in general gives the body a better look and this improves your self-confidence giving oneself a better reason to stay away from drugs or alcohol that waste the body.
Gardening
Gardening is another great activity to get the mind off drugs. Studies have shown that gardening is better in fighting stress as compared to other relaxation activities like reading. With gardening, it does not have to be intense; rather it is effortless and with the thought of helping something sprout and grow will give you a more sense of belonging and commitment that will be a great tool of distraction from drugs.
With the relaxation you derive from gardening, it triggers the brain to produce endorphin a hormone responsible with easing depression while giving the body a more calm feeling. This will translate to a long term mental health state and gives you a better approach and perspective to life. With this, one can easily stay off drugs and have a need for a better world around them.
Fishing
Fishing is a very great distraction from drug and alcohol use more so when you are in the process of rehabilitation. It takes a lot of involvement, patience, and dedication while fishing. The excitement involved when you catch a fish is so thrilling and breathtaking that most people whether fishing is their hobby or not, they enjoy it. With this excitement, the levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol are reduced greatly giving the addict a more composed feeling and amnesia from the drug use. This will make the druggie more relaxed and composed.
Fishing as well can be used as sports where you can get to play the catch-and-release. This is more effective more so for the Bass fish which has always proved one of the most challenging fish species to catch. With this, fishing is not necessarily for consumption, and the anglers will try to catch the fish and when they catch it, they release it and try to catch it again. This is more fun when done with a group of people might be friends or family. On those days that you typically would chill out with friends and decide to drown in drugs, this would be the perfect replacement and a great aid away from all the drugs.
Getting Involved
Losing yourself in the service of others is a very great way to get you off drugs and a great therapeutic way to curb addiction. Getting involved in community affairs would vary depending on your local setup but the most basic ways are volunteering at nursing homes, aged homes or visiting the homeless. Attending to local seminars or participating in local issues of your community and help come up with viable solutions is also a great way of service.
Getting involved will get you to interact more with people and raise a sense of belonging whenever possible, keep you engaged and distracted from drugs.
Caring for a Pet
It is almost similar to gardening but caring for a pet can be more rejuvenating. The thrill of caring for a being that cannot take care of itself by providing shelter and care is very relaxing. With taking care of a pet, it doesn’t have to end up owning a pet; rather, you can alternatively volunteer at animal shelters whenever you have free time that would before be time for doing drugs.
If you own a pet, it can be a great source of companion since it is actually available whenever you need it. The state of being lonely can be very dangerous to an addict trying to recover, and more so for people who are more of introverts and they can get some appropriate company with the pets.
Reading
Drowning yourself with appropriate literature can be a great way to distract your mind off drugs. Immersing yourself with something you like will make the urge go away and if reading is the kind of hobby you fancy or find solace in, then it can be a great form of relaxing.
It is important to place your literature in appropriate or favorable places to get you motivated. The appropriate places could be the kind of places you initially found comfort of drugs in, or places that you will interact with on a daily basis. Things like a motivational quote on a bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or by the front door where you stumble frequently at are a great source of encouragement during the process of fighting an addiction. Memes of encouraging quotes on the phone can be a great way to self-indulge in positive thoughts and stay off drugs.
Conclusion
Professional help on the other hand is also a way to help you fight addiction. Addiction can be fought if the right strategies are put into place and are practiced appropriately.
