There are traditional therapies to treating addiction. Some people go to support groups and surrender themselves to a higher power, while others need more focused care and enroll themselves in a drug rehab program at a trusted facility. Often these facilities engage an addict with a wide variety of activities and structure in order to ensure a positive result. Many of these excellent facilities offer exercise classes in order to promote positive health changes among their clients and patients, something that seems to be catching on as an excellent therapy for those trying to make the switch from a seriously unhealthy existence to a well rounded, healthier option. One man in particular, a gentlemen by the name of Robert Allen is trying to attain sobriety after 20 years of addiction to opiates and prescription painkillers. For two decades he could not go a day without ingesting his particular poison, and his addiction even landed him in prison for 10 years. Now that he has paid his debt to society, he has made a firm New Years resolution to end his cycle of addiction, and one of the weapons in his sobriety arsenal is exercise. In particular a program called “Addict 2 Athlete”.
Rob Archuleta is the founder of Addict 2 Athlete. He said he wants to help Allen reach his goal. “I really wanted to incorporate exercise to mind, body and spirit into recovery,” he said.
Archuleta said he can relate to Allen because he was an addict himself. He was addicted to methamphetamine and after he conquered that addiction, he became obese. “I was miserable and unhappy,” Archuleta said. Archuleta said this is reason why he started the program back in 2009.
Exercise has been shown to have positive effects on the brain in mentally ill patients, as well as those suffering from the disease of addiction, and not to mention just about anyone wanting to remain healthy attempts to do some exercise at least a few times a week. As quoted above, exercise also serves as a tool to stay healthy after one has kicked their drug habit. Many people who succeed in ending their addictions often gain weight. This is because many substances that people find themselves addicted to, especially amphetamines and variants of it, maintain a certain weight because the drugs they take have weight loss characteristics. Amphetamines, after all, are often what doctors prescribe to obese patients because of the calories it helps burn as well as the fact that amphetamines curb one’s appetite in a very significant way. Therefore it would make sense that if an addict is concerned about gaining weight after they have become sober, exercise could play a crucial role in the confidence of an addict. Confidence that could be the key to keeping them off drugs and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The other benefit, is that exercise provides a challenge to recovering addicts. A goal so to speak, something to work at and maintain. If an addict can focus on keeping up with their friends on a hike or a bike ride every few days, it’s more likely that they wont focus or stress on the desire to pop a pill or light up a pipe.