Addiction is a disease that doesn’t just impact the body. It can cause and be caused by mental health issues making it one of the more complicated diseases people struggle with. Fortunately, addiction treatment professionals understand how to approach treatment, so individuals get both the physical care they need to heal and mental health support. Mental health is an important part of your overall health. People who live with a dual diagnosis or struggle with mental health and addiction may need extra support. At Pines Recovery Life Detox, we support our patients as they work toward sobriety, starting at detox and continuing through their longer-term recovery.
How Can You Address Mental Health and Addiction?
One excellent way to address mental health and addiction is to work with creative outlets to help patients express themselves. Creative outlets are enjoyable, but they also help boost the chances of earlier sobriety and prevent relapse.
Does Creativity Play a Role in Mental Health Recovery?
Creative outlets help increase self-esteem and improve mental health. It has been shown that art therapy can improve anxiety, mood, depression, and overall quality of life.
Anxiety and addiction are often linked, as are depression and addiction. Finding creative outlets for those emotions can be helpful as a replacement for alcohol or drug use. Finding the right kind of outlet based on what a person enjoys or would like to do matters, so it’s worth looking into several different options.
What Are 5 Outlets for Mental Health Recovery?
Five creative outlets for mental health recovery include:
- Art therapy: Art therapy includes making or enjoying the visual arts. This might include sculpture, painting, drawing, or other forms of art. This form of creative expression allows people to funnel their feelings into their artwork, expressing emotions without speaking a word.
- Music therapy: Music therapy is an excellent option for those who enjoy singing or playing an instrument. Music therapy can be meditative for someone skilled, while others may enjoy learning a new hobby.
- Equine therapy: This approach benefits patients by making them responsible for caring for a horse while also building a relationship with that animal. These creatures are strong and sometimes demanding, so it can be an excellent way to make a person work hard to earn trust. It teaches reliability and hard work, builds self-esteem, and encourages individuals to work together.
- Animal-assisted therapy: Animal-assisted therapy varies from equine therapy because it doesn’t just involve horses. Sometimes, animal-assisted therapy uses dogs, cats, chickens, or other animals that a person feels comfortable with to calm themselves and open up. The animal may be part of a therapeutic talk therapy session or work as a support animal for the individual. Like equine therapy, having an animal teaches the patient to look beyond themselves and care for another living being.
- Yoga or other meditative exercises: Yoga and meditative exercises help patients learn to center themselves and are self-calming. For people who struggle with anxiety attacks or depression, the repetitive motions and movements may help ground them and feel more connected.
These each has their own benefits to consider if a patient is willing to try them. These may be available at your substance abuse treatment facility of choice, so ask before admission.
Contact Pines Recovery Life Detox to Learn More about Mental Health and Addiction
Whether it’s you or someone you love, it’s important to address concerns about depression, anxiety, substance misuse, and addiction. A dual diagnosis is difficult to deal with on your own, but some people can help. At Pines Recovery Life Detox, we work with our patients to help them with detoxification, and we offer several services to help you feel comfortable while going through this change in your life. Call us today at 800.263.3869, or contact us online to learn more about our program and how you can enroll.
