Regular exercise is a key aspect in the recovery process. 
Restoring Physical and Mental Resilience
Regular exercise is a key aspect in the recovery process. Creating an exercise routine, and sticking with it, aids the body in its path to restoration after months, years or decades of substance abuse. Substance abuse often takes a toll on the person’s health, affecting internal organs, mental health, and their overall physical health. Engaging in a physical exercise routine helps strengthen and repair the body, promoting the healing process for damaged tissues and organs.
Exercise also has many positive effects on a person’s mental health, providing a natural way to deal with anxiety, stress and depression. All are common issues people in recovery face. The endorphins released during exercise act as a natural mood enhancer, which contributes to increased mental positivity. As people begin seeing and feeling the positive aspects of exercise, they will be better equipped to face the many challenges of sobriety.
Establishing a Healthy Routine
One challenge many people in recovery face is the need to create a new routine to provide structure in their daily lives. Exercise helps this goal by offering structured activity that can help fill the void left by substance abuse. Through the incorporation of exercise in the person’s daily schedule, they can create a positive routine that supports the commitment they have made to staying sober.
The discipline required to stay with an exercise routine also transfers over into other aspects of daily life. The structure that a consistent exercise routine provides can help people in recovery better manage their time and contribute to a sense of achievement, which helps them stay on their journey of recovery.
Building a Positive Community through Exercise
Exercise, particularly when done with friends or a group, provides opportunities to build friendships and a sense of community. Many people in recovery enjoy the team aspect of physical activity. Whether through sports teams, workout friends or group classes, the friendships formed during exercise can build a strong support system.
The social aspect exercise provides helps people build relationships that help with any feelings of isolation that can be a trigger for a relapse. By building a support network through exercise, the person will reinforce their sense of accountability, which is essential in the recovery process.
Exercise is a positive way for a person in recovery to address their physical, mental and social well-being. By embracing an exercise routine, the person will enhance their overall physical health and mental resilience. As the new year begins, considering an exercise routine that you can maintain will help you create balance in your life and a sustainable change that you can experience for a lifetime. FBN
By Roy DuPrez
Roy DuPrez, M.Ed., is the CEO and founder of Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery in Flagstaff. DuPrez received his B.S. and M.Ed. from Northern Arizona University. Back2Basics helps young men, ages 18 to 35, recover from addiction to drugs and alcohol.
Back2Basics is an adventure recovery program, up to six months, for young adult males ages 18-30 with substance abuse issues looking for a positive and meaningful life. In our program, clients are exposed to a weekly combination of both wilderness adventures and residential programming. For more information, visit back2basicsoutdooradventures.com, call 928-814-2220 or email rduprez@b2badventures.com.
