Recreational therapy is one form of treatment that helps people overcome substance abuse and addiction. However, what does the therapeutic use of recreation involve? What are the benefits most often linked to therapeutic recreation?
Understanding Recreational Therapy
Recreational therapy is the skillful use of activity therapies to enhance or maintain a person’s cognitive, social, emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being. Moreover, a person struggling with substance abuse can experience valuable balance in their daily life. Therapeutic recreation can include the use of crafts, music, sports, outdoor activities, and many additional modalities.
Common Benefits of Recreational Therapy
Therapeutic recreation can provide many benefits that help a person experience healing. For example, the following list covers just a few of these benefits:
Reduction in Depression and Anxiety
Those experiencing a troubling addiction often feel anxious about their condition. These negative emotions can hinder them from getting the help they deserve. However, therapeutic recreation can offer the support that effectively reduces these negative symptoms.
Improvements in Social Skills
Gaining proper social skills is a vital part of a successful life. Social skills allow us to maintain healthy relationships and be productive members of society. Therefore, recreational therapy is in large groups that help people develop these important skills. Communication and trust-building activities are common in this type of addiction therapy.
Improved Coping Mechanisms
We all have unique ways of coping with the stress of daily life. In fact, some coping mechanisms are healthier than others. Those struggling with the weight of an addiction may need extra help developing healthy ways of dealing with stress. Therapeutic interventions can awaken an interest in healthy activities that can reduce daily stress.
Better Self-Understanding
We are all unique people with individual strengths and weaknesses. Understanding the unique aspects of our inner mind can help us find proper solutions to serious challenges. Moreover, therapeutic activities and tools can promote self-understanding and acceptance. These activities can also boost a person’s self-esteem.
Improvement in Motor Functioning
Some of those experiencing addictions may have also lost significant motor functioning. However, therapeutic recreation often involves physical activities that help improve or maintain healthy motor skills.
Sense of Connection
Many people who engage in therapeutic recreational programs express a deeper sense of connection to the universe around them. As a result, this can help a person feel a sense of belonging and accomplishment.
Understanding the Complexities of a Dual Diagnosis
Some people who require treatment for an addiction suffer from dual diagnosis. Specifically, this means they may also struggle with a mental health condition. In cases such as these, in-depth dual diagnosis treatment that adequately addresses both issues is effective. Furthermore, many drug treatment centers specialize in addressing a dual diagnosis. Recreational therapy activities and programs can address many of the complex issues that stem from a dual diagnosis.
Helping a Family Member Get Treatment
It’s never easy to watch someone you care about face the serious consequences of addiction. At times, it may seem as if things can never go back to the way they were before. However, it’s important to try not to allow negative emotions to keep you from taking action. Real help is available to restore your peace of mind and happiness. If possible, simply try to be a source of encouragement for your loved one on a regular basis.
About Crest View Recovery Center
Crest View Recovery Center is an addiction treatment facility that proudly serves the needs of the Asheville, NC community. The professionals at CVRC use a special form of reality therapy to help people just like you overcome serious addictions. With a peaceful and intimate treatment setting, Crest View Recovery Center offers the support needed for a long-term addiction recovery.
Don’t let addiction keep you from realizing your true value. If you are given the right treatment tools, you can find the power to overcome a life-threatening addiction. Therefore, call 866-327-2505 to learn more about the innovative ways Crest View Recovery Center can assist you in your healing journey.
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Our COVID-19 Protocols
First and foremost, we want to maintain a safe recovery environment and encourage and/or adopt practices protecting the health of patients, employees, visitors and others. We also want to ensure the continuity of providing our addiction recovery services in the face of this global pandemic as we remain open. Note, our staff is fully vaccinated.
The world health community continues to monitor closely the emergence of COVID-19. We want everyone to understand the exact precautions we are taking to address these concerns.
Effective Until Further Notice
ALL incoming clients are pre-screened and Crest view is utilizing the COVID-19 Rapid Test for all newly admitted patients to ensure a safe treatment environment.
No non-essential visitors
ALL clients will need to have their temperature taken daily and recorded. Any client with a temperature higher than 100.4 will be taken to an Urgent Care facility.
ALL Crest View Staff are being routinely tested for COVID.
ALL BHT staff will need to have their temperature taken at the start of their assigned shift. Any BHT staff member with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be sent home in accordance with this policy.
ALL administrative staff and essential visitors will be required to enter the building upstairs and have their temperature taken with a temple thermometer. Any staff or essential visitor with a temperature higher than 100.4 will be denied entry and be sent home in accordance with this policy.
In accordance with the North Carolina State mandate, all staff, clients and essential visitors will be asked to wear a mask when they can not attain proper social distance.
Some off-site activities may be canceled due to state mandates.
Crest View Recovery Center will provide hand sanitizers throughout the workplace and in common areas. Cleaning sprays and wipes will also be provided to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as telephones and keyboards.
We have required that employees experiencing any respiratory or flu like symptoms will stay home from work. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100.4 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
If you have any questions regarding our COVID-19 protocols or the admissions process during this time, please give us a call directly at (866) 327-2505.
