If you have a teen who is currently in rehabilitation for an addiction, you’re going to want to provide them with the best support possible. At this stage, your adolescent’s brain is still developing – which is why it’s important that they’re in recovery, to help mitigate the effects of addiction as much as possible. Rehab for adolescents typically involves therapy so that your teen is able to work through some of their emotional concerns and to get a better understanding of what they’ve been going through. Recovery is much more than therapy, however; it’s about creating a lifestyle that’s centered around recovery. What else might this include?
- Healthy eating habits
- Getting good amount of sleep
- Forming close relationships and building a support network
- Establishing academic and professional goals
- Taking part in fun, healthy activities
- Exercising
- And more
Just last year, researchers published a study in the journal Frontier Psychology that centered on exercise for youth in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Ultimately, they found that exercise can help lessen the stress of other factors that many adolescents experience, such as boredom, lack of social support, poor mental health and more. Exercise plays more into a holistic perspective, which can contribute to your teen’s overall lifestyle. If exercise is incorporated more into your teen’s program, they will likely build more of a routine – something they can depend on engaging in each and every day, and that will help them reduce depression and anxiety while improving their overall health.
The beauty about exercise is that there are so many different kinds of it – depending on your adolescent’s unique needs and interests, they could partake in activities that matter to them. Some examples of exercise could include walking, biking or running, or they could get involved in more experiential forms of exercise such as hiking, canoeing, rock climbing etc.
For many teens, substance abuse stems from a lack of emotional support. They may feel depressed, angry or anxious, and this may cause them to want to use something that will take those uncomfortable feelings away. Exercise has been proven to actually release stress and promote a better mood, which could in fact counteract the desire to use substances over time. Talk with your teen today about opportunities for them to get involved in daily exercise. It could be as simple as going for a small walk each day – but this could greatly improve their chances of success in recovery.
Adolescent Recovery of Cumberland Heights (ARCH) originally began in 1985 when there were few other adolescent programs like it in the country. In 2019, we’re expanding our continuum of services with ARCH Academy, a unique program that offers 60 days to 6 months of residential care to adolescent boys ages 14-18 who are struggling with alcohol and/or drug addiction. This new program stems from Cumberland Heights, which has been around since 1966, and is located in Kingston Springs, Tennessee. The adolescent age is a critical time for development, making this a crucial time of positive influence. For more information, call us today at 1-800-646-9998.
