Physical wellness is more than just diet and exercise. Physical wellness means listening to and taking care of your body for optimal health and functioning. Paying attention to how much physical activity you get, what food you put into your body, and making sure you get regular medical check-ups are all part of this type of wellness. 1
Creating healthy habits and taking care of your physical health is important in addiction recovery, as it is the focus for many physical and mental needs. During active addiction, physical wellness is often compromised and can negatively impact other areas of your life as well. By focusing on wellness and recovery, you can improve or even reverse some of the damage done by substance abuse.
The reason why this type of wellness should be taken seriously in addiction recovery is attributed to the various benefits of engaging in activities. Some of these benefits include:
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This type of wellness also has the benefit of improving mental health and healing throughout addiction recovery. Many substances result in poor mental health with increased depression, anxiety, stress, suicidal ideation, and higher risk of psychotic disorders. However, exercise, healthy eating, and regular engagement in healthy hobbies have been shown to improve many of these mental health conditions.6
A focus on health and recovery is important in many treatment programs because of the benefits of physical well-being for the recovery of addiction. As such, exercise and addiction recovery have often gone hand-in-hand in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. This is due to the many benefits that exercise has on the brain and the body, which explains why it is important. 7
Though exercise and addiction recovery are important, this wellness should incorporate all forms of treatment for the best results. To best improve physical well-being, it is also important to engage in a variety of treatments, including group therapy, individual behavior therapy, family or couples therapy, and support groups.
Also, to fully engage in wellness and recovery, you should focus on all areas of wellness, including the reasons why this type of wellness is important, taking care of your mental health, and reconnecting with support systems.
San Diego Detox is a full-service detoxification and recovery center that focuses on wellness and recovery. Our dedicated and compassionate team of mental health professionals provides holistic and individualized evidence-based care for various addiction and mental health disorders.
One of our goals at San Diego Detox is to help people discover why physical wellness is important to them and create a plan that works for them alongside their healing process. What do wellness and recovery mean to you and how can San Diego Detox help? For more information about the program at San Diego Detox, contact us today.
