Physical fitness for drug rehabilitation

Introduction

Drug rehabilitation or simply rehab is a process consisting of various treatments, medical and psychotherapeutic, for dependency on psychoactive substances. The addiction may involve prescription drugs, street drugs or alcohol.

Drug addiction is a very serious matter that has a significant negative impact on the user’s physical and mental state. The outcome of untreated dependencies can be fatal, which is why it is essential to recognize and address this problem as early on as possible.

There are many options when it comes to overcoming a drug addiction. Many people choose rehabilitation centers, where they are offered counseling and medical treatment, with other features as well, depending on the specific facility.

Many rehabilitation centers today include gyms with professional instructions, since it was found that physical activity and exercise can be very beneficial for the process of rehabilitation.

Physical fitness and drug rehabilitation

Physical activity, exercise and overall improvement of strength and endurance have numerous positive effects on the body, as well as on the mind. Aside from the obvious ones, such as prevention of cardiovascular diseases, improvement of bone structure and strength, exercise was found to be helpful for those coping with drug abuse.

Many rehabilitation centers offer gym classes to their patrons or they include free passes to local gym and fitness centers. Through exercise, people on rehabilitation focus on new activities and on achieving a new set of goals, improve their health that is often severely damaged by drugs and reduce stress levels. Supervised visits to the gym can be very refreshing from those who have spent a lot of time indoors, in rehab centers, and since fitness programs in rehab are usually collective, the recovering patient can also enjoy support and comfort from the people who are going through the exact same thing.

Exercise promotes production and release of endorphins, which are considered to be the body’s own natural painkillers. Since drug withdrawal often involves physical pain, it is clear why this feature can be more than welcome for people on rehabilitation.

In addition, a gym can be a safe haven for people who are struggling to get their lives back on track after years of drug abuse and a stepping stone for the world outside of their usual circles.

Physical activity can also be very helpful in the aftercare programs, once the patient has left the rehab. Some centers focus on exercise as a form of prevention against relapse, mostly because it reduces stress levels and helps release nervous energy.