Here we will go over some of the best activities you can do to keep your mind off addiction.
In fact, the activities below will not only provide a distraction but provide better health to your mind and body.
- Exercise
Participating in some physical activity is a great way to distract yourself from addiction and kick the habit.
Exercising has many positive effects on the brain and body and is particularly beneficial to addicts because it increases mood, restores health, and detoxes the body.
- Paint or draw
You don’t have to be a fantastic artist to paint or draw; you just need a few art supplies, making this pastime easily accessible.
Creating art is known to help with depression, stress, and mindfulness and serves as a way to express emotions safely.
- Gardening
Doing some gardening or yard work is another excellent way to distract yourself while improving your mental and physical health.
Working in the yard uses all of your senses, gets you active, boosts mood, and can make you feel proud and accomplished.
- Television
Addiction can be hard on the body, and you may have days when leaving the house or doing a physical activity is too taxing.
When you find yourself low on energy or in need of a mood boost, throw on your favorite show or movie and relax. However, it would be best to steer clear of content that may be triggering.
- Reading
Cracking open a good book or browsing interesting articles online is another low-effort activity that can help you keep your mind off of addiction.
Reading satisfies the need to be entertained, relaxes the mind, and strengthens cognition.
Addiction can cause portions of the brain to “hibernate,” and reading is the perfect mental exercise for waking the brain up.
- Go to work
Work may be a trigger for some, but if it isn’t, consider getting a second job or asking for more hours to keep your mind busy.
Having a job creates a sense of purpose, exercises the mind, offers a safe environment, and builds social skills. Of course, the extra income helps get you back on track as well.
- Take a walk outside
Physical activity, in general, can improve self-esteem, health, and mental alertness but taking a walk outside is incredibly beneficial.
You may be surprised to learn that being exposed to the sun and plants can increase serotonin and vitamin D levels, reduce inflammation, decrease depression, boost creativity, and improve focus.
- Clean or organize your home
Addiction can cause users to disregard the cleanliness of their homes because cleaning takes too much physical or mental energy.
Cleaning and organizing your home is a distraction that motivates you, declutters the mind, and provides the sense of having a fresh start.
- Self-care
Participating in some self-care is a fantastic way to pass the time, build self-esteem and get back to a healthy state of mind.
Consider getting a massage, creating a healthy diet plan, doing some yoga, meditating, or going to therapy.
Nowadays, many rehab facilities are centered around self-care and make treatment feel like you are treating yourself since they offer fitness classes, massages, game rooms, and more.
- Hanging out with friends
Whether you are a social butterfly or not, hanging out with friends and family can serve as a wonderful distraction.
As long as you are around people that do not trigger thoughts of relapse or make you feel down, hanging out with others can boost your mood, promote brain health, cure loneliness and keep you motivated.
- Write
You don’t need to draft an entire book to use writing as a form of distraction.
Instead, you can write down your thoughts, short stories, jokes, poetry, or anything else that you want to jot down.
Writing is another activity that improves mental and cognitive health, provides entertainment, and encourages self-expression.
- Learn a new instrument
If you have always wanted to learn a new instrument, this may be the perfect time to do so.
No matter which instrument you decide to pick up, the benefits are the same. Some benefits are self-discipline, improved self-esteem, reduced stress, strengthened cognition, and self-expression.
- Volunteer
Volunteering is a valuable way to spend your time since it helps you while helping others at the same time.
Volunteering provides a sense of fulfillment, appreciation, self-worth, and empathy.
Some places you can volunteer at homeless shelters, food pantries, animal rescues, libraries, or a local community center.
There are many things you can do to keep your mind off addiction. However, the best activities nourish your mental and physical well-being productively.
