Benefits of Volunteering during Addiction Recovery

Key Reasons to Volunteer as Part of your Recovery Journey

People adjusting to a sober life must find fun, productive and interesting ways to spend their free time. Healthy hobbies like exercise, art, meditation and volunteering allow you to manage your free time and avoid triggers that could lead to relapse. Incorporating community volunteer work into your aftercare treatment provides many benefits and boosts the recovery process. Acceptance House Sober Living offers eight reasons why recovery volunteering is a fulfilling and necessary part of your journey to long term sobriety.

8 Benefits of Volunteering as a Recovery Activity

Helps you Stay Focused on Recovery: Volunteering allows you to get out of the house, not drinking or doing drugs, while doing something profoundly meaningful for someone else or the community at large. When volunteering, you are “out of self,” which recovery members know is a great way to handle everyday stress.

Fills your Time in a Positive Way: Managing your weekdays is generally easy, as your time is filled with work, exercising, support meetings and catching up on your favorite TV shows. If you find the weekends are tough, you can fill your time with two full days of volunteering in your community or even traveling a few hours away.

Improves Self-esteem: Simply put, when you help others, you feel good about yourself.

Stay Engaged with the World: During the depths of your addiction, your embarrassment and guilt left you drinking and drugging alone, in a perpetual state of isolation. Volunteering helps you break the cycle, do something positive and connect with people who need your help.

Builds Community: There is no wrong way to volunteer your time; pick an organization you’re truly passionate about. What all volunteer efforts have in common is a sense of community and coming together for a greater purpose.

Help People who Need it: The essence of volunteering is to help those in need; not because it looks good or because it’s easy, but because you recognize the needs of others.

Increase Productivity: Recovery volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and increases your motivation to achieve other long and short-term goals.

Improves Quality of Life: The recovery process may feel like a second chance in life. You’ve dedicated yourself to healthier habits and a meaningful & productive lifestyle. Volunteering can give you a sense of peace and a safe environment to avoid stress, anxiety and anger.

If you or someone you love is looking for safe sober housing in Bucks County, PA, contact our main office at 856-465-7310. We’re here to help you start the next phase of your recovery process and prepare for a life in long term recovery.