According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, recovery is a process of change where people strive to improve their lives to reach a healthier, happier existence. However, the road to recovery from addiction can feel confusing, lonely, and stressful. Finding ways to cope with these challenges is imperative to succeeding and sustaining a long-lasting recovery from addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Reading Provides Many Health Benefits for Recovery
Reading relaxes the body, lowers the heart rate, and eases muscle tension. Since withdrawal from drugs or alcohol can cause high blood pressure and temperatures, reading combats these symptoms.
Reading leads to escapism, which is seeking distraction and relief from unpleasant aspects of life. Addiction to drugs or alcohol may arise from a need to escape the unpleasant realities of life; however, the simple act of reading can also provide a much-needed break as well. Reading allows one to escape their own experiences and live someone else’s. Losing oneself, one’s troubles and one’s anxieties even for short periods can help immensely in recovery.
Reading can rewire the brain by helping one see their own experiences from a different point of view. Therefore, reading creates a sense of compassion and empathy towards others and oneself. Shame is an emotion closely related to addiction, and reading can help to alleviate this feeling.
Reading about other people’s experiences can give one perspective on their own life situations. Walking in someone else’s shoes helps to shift one’s thinking, and therefore shifts their quality of life. This exercise leads to an alleviation of stress and anxiety, which are common undesirable feelings in addiction recovery.
Reading reduces stress. Reading is relaxing and therefore reduces stress. According to the National Reading Campaign, studies have proven that reading for just six minutes a day reduces stress levels by over 60%.
Looking for Help?
Recovery from addiction is a personal and challenging journey. At Fort Worth Recovery, we seek to know our clients and their stories, hoping that in turn, they gain a new perspective on themselves. Coping with recovery from an addiction to drugs or alcohol requires tools and experience. We aim to instill these tools in our clients so that they may lead happier and healthier lives through lifelong recovery. We seek to inspire clients to face their challenges, accept their present state, and foster hope for their future.
If you or someone you know is struggling with dealing with an addiction, call us today at 844.332.1807, or visit us online.
