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The positive effects that spending time outdoors has on the mind and body can be seen by sitting in a park or on a beach, spending time with a pet, walking or hiking in green spaces and traveling by water. The nature of substance abuse and mental illnesses keeps patients indoors, where they act out their unhealthy symptoms by themselves. Ecotherapy will awaken your relationship with the great outdoors and show you what you’ve been missing during your addiction. As part of our programs, we have nature trails, elegant landscaping, outdoor relaxation spaces of natural beauty, and too many waterfront views to count, all at one or more of our many nature based facilities. Some of the benefits reported by patients who have taken part in nature therapy include:
- Reduction of symptoms of anxiety, stress, and/or depression
- Greater overall physical and psychological health
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Further self-respect, respect for others and for the environment
- Greater capacity to communicate and bond with others
- Reconnection with your inner child and sense of wonder
- Increased tendency to take responsibility for your actions
- Renewed sense of independence and creativity
- Improved problem solving abilities and life skills
- Greater personal satisfaction in general
Ecotherapy is particularly suited for patients who are either uncomfortable talking about how their conditions make them feel or have difficulty expressing their specific issues. Being in nature can have an effect that is both invigorating and relaxing, cutting through many of the typical obstacles to recovering from substance abuse and mental disorders. Students of nature therapy believe that internal conflicts regarding our mental state can arise from a failure to meet the minimum requirement of time spent engaged in outdoor activities potentially resulting in emotional and behavioral problems.
As opposed to our forerunners, Western society has taken on an urban emphasis with the bulk of the global population living in cities or the in the surrounding areas. One consequence of this tendency is the modern man spending most of his time indoors, either at home, school, work or leisure. It is estimated that people in industrialized nations spend more than 90 percent of their lives inside, resulting in an increasingly substantial disconnect between humanity and the natural world. Spending time at one of our nature based facilities can help to address this disconnection. Without a doubt, there are numerous benefits to this adapted lifestyle, but we cannot deny the underlying call of nature which accounts for why many choose to take vacations in places of natural beauty that are either near bodies of water or in remote vistas like forests and mountains.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcohol or drug abuse or a separate mental disorder, Unity Behavioral Health can help. We specialize in the treatment of substance abuse, mental illnesses, and dual diagnosis, employing a variety of traditional and holistic therapies in order to treat your entire condition. Give us a call today at 561-708-5295 to learn more.
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Speak to one of our experienced and caring representatives at Unity Behavioral Health to learn about how our rehab programs can help your loved one defeat addiction.