What Can I Do in My Spare Time This Summer That Isn’t Drinking or Doing Drugs?

Summary: If you’re in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, there are a virtually unlimited number of things you can do in your spare time this summer that aren’t drinking or doing drugs. From recreational activities to artistic pursuits, you can find a healthy way to spend your time.

Key Points:

• People misuse alcohol and drugs for different reasons, including boredom, self-medication, and force of habit.
• During addiction recovery, cravings and triggers are difficult to manage, and it’s easy to default to old habits.
• The urge to relapse can be strong during the long, dog days of summer, however, it’s possible to help counter those urges by creating new, healthy habits.

Redirection: An Effective Strategy for Managing Triggers and Cravings

Redirection is something parents and teachers know all about, because it works. When a child is on the verge of tears, a tantrum, or disappointment, it’s possible to offer them an alternative activity that can immediately change their entire outlook, and prevent a negative outcome.

As adults in recovery, we can do the same thing with ourselves. We can focus on something else and occupy our minds so it’s not focused on the craving.

But how do we do this exactly?

The answer is simple: we have to do things.

How to Distract Yourself From Cravings and Prevent Relapse

1. Go for a hike.

Not only is hiking beautiful, but nature is really soothing and peaceful. The action of walking in itself is very therapeutic as well. It clears our mind and gets our blood flowing. There’s a metaphoric energy about being in motion and feeling yourself moving forward, away from the old and towards new beginnings.

2. Run or jog.

Similar to hiking, there’s motion happening. But picking up the pace will get the heartrate going and get the blood circulating. Endorphins is a feel good chemical and running or jogging can give us the boost we need. Not to mention, feeling healthy and in shape makes us proud of ourselves.

3. Read a book.

This is a good way to focus on something else, especially when it’s a story or topic we find really interesting. It could even be a book on how to resist the urge of cravings or even fantasy fiction. It’s also rewarding to reach the end of the book, turning the final page, and feeling accomplished for completing the whole thing.

4. Write.

This doesn’t mean write a book; but hey, if this is something you’re down to do, definitely do it! Simple journaling or jotting down thoughts that come in and out of your mind, it is all therapeutic. You could even write about the craving itself. What does it feel like? What is it making you think? Describe everything you can. That can be extremely therapeutic and you’re focus on writing keeps you from acting on the urges. Writing can also lead to personal revelations. As we writing about what’s currently happening, we can look at it as an observer. By doing so, we’re able to step away without actually stepping away. We end up writing something unplanned that we need to hear.

5. Learn an instrument.

Again, something definitely requiring some focus. Learning an instrument gives us the opportunity to watch ourselves grow. We can see ourselves struggle in the beginning, practice, improve, then master a song. It’s also fun! We can play any song we enjoy or even write our own. It’s also beautiful to share music with other people who enjoy listing. This is an uplifting therapeutic practice.

How to Apply This Idea

There are so many ways things to do other than give into urges when they try to pull us down. As long as you’re doing something, you’re doing something else. If you or loved one struggles with maintaining an abstinent recovery, please contact Crownview Co-Occurring Institute to get in touch with our team of medical professionals who can help you stay on track – even offer suggestions for things to do.