Rehabilitation from drug or alcohol addiction is serious business. The process of detoxing the body from the presence of chemicals and toxins is not for the faint of heart. The active treatment portion of addiction recovery involves layers of multi-modal therapies that require focus, effort, and commitment for a sustained period of weeks or months. This is why sprinkling in a dose of recreational therapy in the form of sober golf is so welcome to those facing down the rehab process.

You remember in the movie, The Shining, Jack Nicholson’s character typed over and over “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” Well, there is truth to his maniacal rant—hard work should indeed be balanced with some play. It is important to mix in some recreation during the time spent restoring mental and physical health, and addiction rehab with sober golf is a perfect pairing.

Sober golf is exactly what it says, playing golf without drinking or using drugs. It means enjoying the game in the purest, most natural way possible, fully alert and focused while getting sunshine and exercise in the process. Being outdoors on the course instantly lifts one’s mood, and the camaraderie at the heart of the game adds a positive dose of peer support in recovery.

How Addiction Rehab With Sober Golf Elevates the Rehab Experience

Let’s face it—no one looks forward to entering a drug or alcohol treatment program. That is plain fact. The experience is anxiety-provoking and difficult under even the best conditions. There is no bullet train to achieving sobriety; recovery is a long slog that will try your patience for years to come. But, as they say, the best things in life are worth fighting for, and when it comes to breaking free from the grip of addiction, it is life itself that is the ultimate prize.

So, that said, how can playing golf elevate the grind of the rehab experience? There is a multitude of ways that adding golf to the rehab menu will make the whole process more palatable. These include:

• Recreational activities provide an opportunity to decompress from the serious work of therapy
• Golf gives the client something enjoyable to look forward to during the rehab experience
• Golf gets you outdoors, moving, smiling, chatting, and is a nice distraction from therapy
• Golf provides an opportunity to build new friendships built on a mutual desire for sobriety

The Importance of Organized Recreation in Rehab

Recreational therapies such as golf can provide both physical and psychological benefits. In fact, the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification defines recreational therapy as a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity-based interventions as a means to psychological and physical recovery and well-being. Therapeutic recreation can enhance mood, build confidence, and provide important opportunities to socialize. In addition, organized recreational activities, such as golf, are known to reduce stress and enhance relaxation, both important to addiction recovery.

Physical activity in rehab can help the brain as its chemistry rebalances and neurotransmitter production is normalized. This can have a protective effect against relapse, acting as a natural mood stabilizer. During rehab, clients can be still unstable as brain chemistry is rebounding to normal levels, so adding in recreational activities can help the process along.

How Addiction Rehab with Sober Golf Benefits the Newly Sober

Going to rehab can be depressing and may create a lot of stress for the client. Knowing that they will have to be away from work and their family for an extended period of time causes anxiety, as does the unknown of the rehab experience itself. Anticipating a lengthy period away from what is familiar to them, as well as preparing to give up their substance of choice, is indeed stressful.

By offering regular access to golf, the rehab entices the client into a more positive frame of mind that can enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. Clients who are positive and forward-thinking tend to have better recovery outcomes. They don’t look at rehab in a negative light, but as a means to an end—a healthy, sober lifestyle. For many people, golf is a passion. These folks thrive on the golf course, enjoying the challenges that a course throws at them and enjoying the company of friends while trying to successfully navigate the course. Sober golf only amplifies that positive experience by removing the inebriation and replacing it with the clear-headed engagement in the activity itself.

What to Expect in Addiction Treatment

While golf can compliment a rehab program and add some fun to the program, the foundational function of the rehab is to teach people how to not reach for the substance they have programmed their brains to crave. This is the serious part of the recovery process, the re-training of the mind and resulting behavioral responses. This brain reprogramming will take time, effort, and lots of patience.

In addiction treatment, you can expect to live a very structured existence for the duration of the program. There is a reason for this, and that is to help stabilize the client in early recovery, offering predictability, normal healthy routines, and constant engagement during each day. Generally, a treatment program will offer several different but complementary treatment elements. These typically include:

• Psychotherapy sessions
• Group therapy sessions
• Classes that teach about how addiction develops
• Relapse prevention planning
• Motivational or informative guest speakers
• Medication management
• Experiential therapies, including recreational activities, yoga, meditation, mindfulness training, art therapy, acupuncture, journaling, and massage therapy

Golf Drug Rehab Offers Addiction Rehab With Sober Golf

Golf Drug Rehab is an upscale drug and alcohol addiction treatment program serving Orange County, California. Situated in a beautiful and serene coastal setting, Golf Drug Rehab provides an exclusive treatment experience that includes access to three premium golf courses in the local vicinity. The perfect combination of supervised detox, highly effective therapies, sober golf and other spa-like amenities allows clients to heal and regain their sense of self-worth. For more information about the program, please contact Golf Drug Rehab today at (877) 958-5320