People struggling with drug abuse like heroin addiction likely haven’t spent a lot of time in nature since developing this disease. Many have probably spent most of their time in their home or the homes of others abusing substances. Unfortunately, people who avoid nature or who claim that they don’t enjoy it are doing themselves a great disservice by not spending time surrounded by natural beauty.
Multiple studies have confirmed what fans of the outdoors have known for years: spending time outdoors is good for mental health and can help you for staying sober at New Years. For example, an article by The Conversation discussed how spending time outdoors helped to improve a person’s overall mental health. Solitude is particularly crucial in this scenario, as most people are surrounded by too much stimulation in their daily lives.
This constant stimulation is a significant problem because it can trigger a numbing experience in the brain. Actions and behaviors that were once pleasurable for a person – such as reading a book, sexual intercourse, or a single drink of alcohol – don’t bring the joy that they once did to a person. Their mind – stuffed with too many details from their everyday lives – craves more stimulation and becomes addicted to constant stimulation, including drugs.
However, individuals who spend time unwinding outdoors can calm their mind and pull themselves away from the negative influence of the modern world on their drug addiction. For example, Psychology Today discusses the many types of therapeutic wilderness programs used to manage mental health problems and addiction with hiking, climbing mountains and hills, camping in the woods, fishing, and swimming.
The benefits of these programs have been confirmed in many different studies. One test took a look at the social and financial benefits individuals experienced when going through wilderness therapy. Those in the study learned new skills, built strong friendships, and felt like more capable people who could better cope with the demands of their substance abuse. So schedule a solitary camping trip in some true wilderness to calm your mind and improve your recovery and chances for staying sober at New Years.