Life Without Addiction: 10 Super Fun Activities to Enjoy Sober

Addiction specialists and researchers agree that relapse is less likely when a person avoids boredom.  With that in mind, take a look at these activities that can help you stay focused on recovery:

Exercise

Studies prove that exercise of any kind can help speed recovery, to the point where some doctors are starting to prescribe it. Regular trips to the gym or runs can replace drugs and alcohol. However, some people do feel that you might be replacing one addiction with the other (watch for signs of exercise addiction).

Puzzles

Brainteasers, crosswords, etc., can help by strengthening your brain and also by giving you something quick and easy to reach for when the cravings start. Choose ones which require a lot of focus without being so hard that you want to give up.

Volunteering

Finding a way to help others that you enjoy can give you a new outlook on life. It can also help you find a new community that is not focused on using. Twelve-step programs encourage participants to help and mentor others, but the problem with this is that it involves, well, a lot of thinking about the issue. It is better to do something entirely outside that experience, such as helping out at a soup kitchen or walking dogs at an animal shelter.

Sports

This combines exercise with, again, finding a support network of people who are not addicts or former addicts. You can go back to a sport you enjoyed in school or try something completely new.

Horseback Riding

It’s expensive – but so was your habit – and working with horses requires an intense focus at the moment that leaves you unable to think about anything else. Riding therapy is also beneficial for social anxiety (which can be a root cause of addiction in the first place).

Write

If you can’t think of anything to write, start a journal. Many people find a few minutes of writing a day to be deeply therapeutic. If your journal is too much about drinking or drugs, then try writing a story or a series of poems. Or reviews of books you have read. You could even start a blog.

Explore

Look for things in your area you never did get the chance to do – and find friends to do them with. Go to the zoo, go hiking, find that little museum almost everyone forgets is there. Acting like a tourist in your city can practically feel like a short vacation.

Learn a language

Like puzzles, this helps your brain restore its function from the ravages of addiction. Look for one a local community speaks or make it a goal to enjoy an exotic vacation without translation problems.

Crafting

Depending on your interests, you might take up scrapbooking, drawing, or even costuming. The hobbies can have the advantage of letting you step outside yourself and be someone or something else for a while. Having a craft can also help you focus on things that tend to make your mind wander, such as watching television.

Gardening

Even if all you have is a balcony, add a few plants. Having the responsibility will help you focus, and the rewards can be very tangible. Tomatoes and small carrots are both easy to grow on balconies, as are culinary herbs.