There may be many individuals who are spending this holiday season away from loved ones. Some may be away for business, some may be serving their country overseas, and some may be participating in residential drug rehabilitation programs. While their respective absences may be for very good purposes, the absentees can find it difficult and disheartening to miss out on this special time of year and are encouraged with holiday cheer and wishes sent their way. For those individuals who are working through the difficulties of battling drug addiction, it can be especially important to ensure that they participate in seasonal activities that bring joy and excitement.
Narconon Arrowhead’s Holiday Activities
Narconon Arrowhead is a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility located in southern Oklahoma. Along with providing a holistic and highly successful rehabilitation program to its students, Narconon Arrowhead also seeks to provide students with a variety of sober activities. Such activities can help the recovering addict recover some things they have lost because of drug use, such as:
Physical and emotional senses
The chemicals in drugs alter the basic functions and patterns of the individual’s body, and over time can numb their physical and emotional senses. Participating in fun activities can help the individual use and develop these senses newly – experiencing sensations and pleasant emotion soberly.
Relationships with others
Many drug addicts withdraw into their own lives, becoming focused on self and unaware of others. They often stop interacting with others, including their family and close friends. Recovering addicts can participate in fun, sober activities and learn how to rebuild healthy relationships with others.
Awareness of present environment
Initial drug use is often caused by a problem that the individual is unable to confront or resolve. Continued drug use causes further problems, physically, emotionally and mentally, and the addict quickly becomes dependent on the drug. They are usually unaware of their present environment, focused more on past and current problems regarding drugs and how to acquire more. Fun activities during drug rehabilitation can help the individual become more aware of their present environment and less focused on their past problems.
Confidence
Many recovering addicts become aware of the fact that it was their own life choices that led them down the path to addiction. It is not unusual for the addict to suffer a lack of confidence in their ability to make good choices, which may be part of the reason they withdraw from others. Participating in fun activities can help one build confidence in their ability to enjoy life and their choices.
While Narconon Arrowhead does provide fun recreational and community activities year-round, they are especially mindful of the holiday season and the fact that for many addicts and their families the holidays are difficult and painful times. The addicts themselves often struggle with guilt, shame and embarrassment while family members struggle with confusion, guilt, grief and even anger.
Narconon Arrowhead seeks to restore the true meaning of the holidays for program students through sober, fun activities. Staff and students at Narconon Arrowhead have already decorated and showed off a drug-free float for local holiday parades, participated in a “deck the halls” party at the facility, and enjoyed a holiday-themed talent show. Now, Narconon Arrowhead is reaching out to program graduates to ask for their help in sponsoring current students. Graduates are asked to donate $15 for a Christmas stocking and write a letter of encouragement for a current program student. Every Narconon Arrowhead student will receive their own stocking and letter of encouragement between now and Christmas, helping to cultivate the holiday spirit among those who are working hard to recover from their troubles with addiction.
For more information see our full release at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/12/prweb11446001.htm