The Benefits of Exercise for SUD and Mental Health Wellness
Personally, if you were to go back in my story, prior to finding recovery on July 13th, 1995, I have tried to stay active in a variety of ways. I don’t know that I ever connected being physically active to the importance of a quality state of mental health and any success in my life. Prior to finding recovery, I was competing in powerlifting and bodybuilding, and, at that time, believed my outside physical appearance was what was needed to find approval, strength, safety, and social acceptance. I remember in early recovery saying, ‘I hope one day my insides will match my outsides.’ What a person saw and how I presented myself to the world was far different from the heavy darkness inside of me. Funny; not funny. I still work to find balance between my insides and my outsides, progress not perfection.
I’m not one to make New Year Resolutions; that has regularly proven to be a setup for failure. I do have goals, I make plans, and I know I have choices. I also know I don’t want to sabotage myself. Just for Today or One Day at a Time are incremental ways to create change. “Stink’in Thinking” can creep in. Some may say, “Change a thought, move a muscle.” Anything that includes the word change may come with its challenges and discomforts, but it is possible if done in increments, slow and steady and with a supportive community. While making it to recovery was a miracle in itself, staying in recovery and changing everything in my life felt almost impossible since first making the decision. In hindsight, I can confidently say it’s not impossible; I’ve learned to let go sooner and stop negative thoughts and behaviors faster. Now, I make more new mistakes than repeat old ones; so hang in there…There is Hope!
It wasn’t until I approached my 20th year in recovery that I had a mental health crisis. I formulated an exit plan and landed up locked on a psychiatric floor for 10 days. Thank goodness, along the way, I had learned some skills that helped me advocate for myself. I witnessed firsthand how these additional needed services carry another heavy layer of challenges and stigma.
I made it to recovery and stayed (in recovery and on this planet) because of the amazing people who surrounded me. Life held excitement, attraction, and possibilities that carried me forward. I will be forever grateful for the second life I have been afforded because of the path of recovery I chose, but, when faced with such darkness, I needed outside help, too.
For a point in time in my recovery, I felt like the break in my mental health was a direct reflection of failure in my recovery program; not today. As I become more educated about the disease of addiction and the possible co-occurring mental health challenges, I am more able to quickly recognize and confront old wounds as they rise in me. I have gained more empathy and compassion for others while working on myself. I have had to accept my own judgments and limited understandings, while being committed to learning how our system of healthcare does and does not work.
I truly do believe what we do with our bodies and what we put in our bodies can create our demise or our SUCCESS! We, as a society, are being very challenged to find new routines. There is a greater reliance on technology and social media for connection to our loved ones, employers, recovery, and communities. One of my favorite passages from the Dao De Jing is, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” I have reframed this small phrase to gain perspective when looking at a task or goal as “a short-term situation, for a long-term outcome.” Please give yourself the time to consider any of the needed self-care options. Change is possible, and you are worth it!
While regular exercise certainly has obvious physical benefits, evidence has suggested that it may be an often-neglected intervention mental health care.2 I’m personally ready to make a call to my health coach and contract for another 6-month commitment to achieve my next 30lb weight loss goal. Additional thoughts and actions for my success will be to document any and all engagement, connect with our featured spotlight in this month’s newsletter, Dylan Howard from The Lefty’s Cycle Project, and involve myself with The Pheonix – Connecticut. The Phoenix fosters a supportive, physically active community for individuals who are recovering from a substance use disorder & those who choose to live sober. (2) The Phoenix – Connecticut | Facebook
Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have proven to reduce anxiety and depression.3 Exercise improves mental health by reducing negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.2 Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.3 It seems to me, there are two areas that physicians and mental health professionals do not emphasize enough when advising their patients: hydration and regular exercise! An estimated 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, and as many as 50 million Americans are living sedentary lives, with fewer than 1 in 4 getting enough exercise regularly! Perhaps the health benefits from exercise should be emphasized and reinforced and a “prescription” for hydration and physical activity should be issued by doctors!
Benefits include the following:
1. Improved sleep
2. Increased interest in sex
3. Better endurance
4. Stress relief
5. Improvement in mood
6. Increased energy and stamina
7. Reduced tiredness that can increase mental alertness
8. Weight reduction
9. Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness
Together WE are Stronger!