For many people suffering from an addiction and undergoing recovery, life after addiction might seem out of reach, and for some people, even boring.
When you have spent months or even sometimes years relying on substances to feel happy, confident, relaxed or excited, the idea of being sober can seem daunting at first.
In fact, lots of people fear that life after addiction will be dull, repetitive and boring. However, the reality is often the exact opposite.
Many people who complete a medical detox and professional rehab actually find that once they go sober, they experience genuine happiness for the first time in years.
Instead of chasing temporary highs followed by withdrawal symptoms and crashes, people are able to learn how to enjoy life again, but this time naturally and sustainably.
It is important to understand that this does not mean feeling euphoric every minute of every day. Instead, it means finding purpose, excitement and joy through healthy experiences, rather than addictive substances.
If you are recovering from addiction to either drugs or alcohol, are currently going through a detox, or considering attending drug and alcohol rehab, this guide might be for you.
Throughout this guide, we will explore how to get ‘high on life’ without the use of addictive substances and why finding a rewarding life can become one of your strongest tools for when it comes to your long term recovery.
What Exactly is Getting High on Life?
Getting high on life refers to experiencing positive emotions, excitement and satisfaction from living your life, without using addictive substances such as alcohol or drugs.
In fact, many simple activities naturally trigger the release of chemicals in the brain associated with pleasure and wellbeing.
These feel-good chemicals include the likes of dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins.
Whereas addictive substances flood the brain, creating intense but short-lived feelings of pleasure, getting pleasure and dopamine from lived experiences goes further.
However, it is important to understand that for those recovering from an addiction, gaining satisfaction from everyday life once again will take a lot of work, as people with addictive issues often suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Recovery allows the brain to begin healing, although it is important to understand that this will not happen overnight.
Although this process takes time, people who complete a medical detox and receive treatment for their addiction often find that ordinary experiences become rewarding again over time.
This could include even the most mundane and simple acts, such as a beautiful walk, a meaningful conversation, a personal achievement or a moment of laughter that is able to provide genuine satisfaction that addiction took away and stripped from you.
Why Does Addiction Make Natural Happiness Difficult?
One of the biggest challenges that people suffering from an addiction face during early recovery is that life can feel mundane and flat.
It is important to understand that feeling this way is completely normal and does not mean that you are failing or that you are about to relapse.
When someone develops an addiction, their brain becomes used to receiving unnaturally large dopamine amounts from alcohol or other addictive substances.
As a result of this, everyday experiences struggle to keep up and compete with the feeling that you get from addictive substances.
As a result of this, many people entering drug and alcohol rehab report symptoms such as low motivation, emotional numbness, difficulty in experiencing pleasure, fatigue, boredom, depression and anxiety.
These symptoms often improve significantly after you have completed your treatment, including therapy which can take a number of weeks or even sometimes, as it is also important to acknowledge that recovery is also about retraining the brain to function normally again.
This process requires patience, determination, consistency and support from loved ones and friends.
The Importance of Professional Detox and Rehab
Before discussing natural ways to feel good, it is important to understand that many people who suffer from a mild, moderate or severe addiction to drugs or alcohol need to attend a professional detox and therapy.
For individuals experiencing an alcohol or drug addiction, the medical detox is often the first stage. The detox allows the body to remove harmful and addictive substances from its system, whilst managing withdrawal symptoms safely in a controlled environment.
Following the medical detox, therapy then helps individuals to better understand the root causes of their addiction, develop healthier coping strategies moving forward and then build a healthier and more consistent lifestyle and routine.
Without addressing the underlying and root causes of the addiction, many people relapse later down the line, as they struggle with the same mental health issues and triggers.
Recovery and Exercise
It is important to understand that exercise is a fantastic tool to improve your mood. In fact, one of the most commonly discussed natural highs is the high that people get from exercising, especially when it comes to running [1].
Many people in addiction recovery use exercise as a way of maintaining their sobriety.
People find that it naturally boosts their mood and reduces any stress.
In fact, research suggests that physical activity can stimulate feel-good chemicals and improve your overall mental wellbeing. It is also important to understand that you do not need to become a marathon runner to benefit from exercise.
You could take part in walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, weight training, dance, yoga, football and rugby.
There are a number of benefits associated with exercise, including some of those listed below for you [1]:
Recovery and Human Connection
As those who suffer from an addiction know all too well, addiction often thrives in isolation. Many people struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction slowly tend to withdraw from family, friends and meaningful relationships [2].
However, it is well researched that spending time with loved ones and friends can have a profound impact on your mental health and overall emotional wellbeing. This is because social interaction is associated with the release of chemicals linked to bonding and happiness [2].
This could involve meeting up with friends, going for food with your family, attending a recovery meeting, joining a community group, volunteering, participating in hobbies with friends.
In fact, many people who attend inpatient drug and alcohol rehab find that they find genuine connection whilst there and often find a sense of fulfilment they had previously tried to find through substances.
Recovery and Nature
Whilst exercise can be a great mood-boosting tool, spending time in nature can also be very therapeutic and rewarding.
In fact, research shows that spending time outdoors and in nature can reduce stress, improve your mood and support your overall mental health [3].
It is important to understand that you do not need to climb mountains or go on a three-week camping trip to benefit. There are a number of simple activities that you can do, including walking through a local park, gardening, exploring the coast, birdwatching, cold water swimming or outdoor photography.
Nature encourages mindfulness and helps people to focus on the present moment, rather than focusing on your addiction, on past mistakes or on any future worries.
For individuals recovering from an addiction, this can be extremely helpful and valuable [3].
Recovery and Meditation
Many people suffering from an addiction are surprised to learn just how effective meditation and mindfulness can be during addiction recovery.
Meditation helps individuals to become more aware of their own thoughts, their emotions and any cravings or triggers.
Rather than attempting to escape your wanted or uncomfortable feelings through addictive substances, mindfulness encourages people to accept and observe them.
As a result, people experience reduced stress, less anxiety, better emotional regulation and a better sense of self.
Recovery and Laughter
Whilst people might overlook how much laughter can impact your long term emotion; laughter can have a huge impact that lasts for longer than you might imagine.
Addiction can make life feel incredibly serious, due to financial problems, damaged relationships, health concerns and emotional distress.
Laughter can be a powerful reminder that joy still exists and that you are able to experience happiness again. In fact, the research suggests that laughter can stimulate the release of endorphins and contribute to improved wellbeing for the long term.
You could watch a comedy show, spend time with particularly funny friends, attend a live comedy show or just simply allow yourself to enjoy light-hearted moments.
Recovery and Helping Other People
Whilst people suffering from an addiction might not feel like helping other people, one of the most overlooked ways to get ‘high on life’ is by helping others.
In fact, studies have shown that acts of kindness can improve your mood, increase your self-worth and create a sense of purpose for people who are struggling to find the meaning of life.
Many people recovering from addiction discover fulfilment through helping other people.
This could include volunteering, mentoring other people, supporting loved ones, taking part in community projects or working in recovery advocacy, helping other people to overcome their addiction issues.
Recovery and Creativity
Similarly to meditation and mindfulness, creativity provides a healthy outlet for emotions and self-expression. When someone suffers from an addiction issue, emotions are often suppressed, completely avoided or severely numbed.
This is why creativity encourages healthy expression of emotions [4]. This could include painting, drawing, writing music, singing, photography, arts and crafts and filmmaking.
As with any of these tasks, you do not need to be perfect at them to enter a state of flow. The goal of these tasks is engagement, although many people discover talents and interests during recovery that they never knew that they had.
Happiness Is Not Constant
During recovery, it is important to acknowledge that it is impossible to feel happy all of the time, and that no one feels happy continuously. This is because life includes its ups and downs, challenges, disappointments and difficult emotions.
However, recovery is able to teach you healthier ways to manage them and how to develop resilience.
In fact, true happiness and wellbeing comes from experiencing the full range of human emotions, without needing addictive substances to cope or hide from them.
Recovery Creates a Better Kind of High
The highs that you experience from addictive substances are short term, and often followed by crashes, regret, withdrawal symptoms and a severe and long-term addiction.
However, the natural highs that you can get from life after recovering from your addiction work differently.
These natural highs are able to support your physical health, strengthen your relationships, improve your mental health and build your confidence. Most importantly, they help create a life worth living.
Conclusion
If you are suffering from an addiction or have recently recovered from an addiction but are struggling to find purpose and happiness in life after your addiction, then speak to a member of the team at OK Rehab.
Whether you are considering a medical detox, preparing for therapy or maintaining your long term recovery, it is important to remember that being sober is not about giving something up, but instead it is about regaining your happiness.
When you remove alcohol and drugs from the equation, you will be able to experience genuine happiness and meaningful experiences that leave you feeling high on life, without the need to use addictive substances as a crutch.
References
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3276339/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9318152/
