Adventure therapy dates back into the late 1950s.[1] Formed as a means of educating youth to develop self-reliance and discipline, the first adventure therapy program — Outward Bound — came about in 1962.[2] The program aimed to decrease the likelihood of substance abuse, behavioral problems, and issues of mental health in participants.
Over the years, developments upon this therapy module have likely contributed to number of people remaining clean and sober after treatment. The focus of adventure therapy is to:
- Boost self-esteem
- Enhance the perception of oneself
- Increase self-reliance
- Remove environmental distractions
The premise behind this therapy model is educating and healing through nature-based experiences. Can Mother Nature heal emotional wounds? Some evidence certainly supports this idea. Group activities, such as foraging for berries, create a bonding atmosphere in which participants must learn to trust and rely on others and themselves. For addicts, these are tools they have been lacking. A study of 109 youths who participated in a 21-day long wilderness study rooted in adventure therapy techniques resulted in 41 percent being able to transfer the things they learned to their jobs, and 24 percent being able to transfer tools they learned to their family lives, with most participants claiming they had an increase in motivation and self-confidence.[3]
Adventure therapy tactics often serve as a means of removing the addict from his daily surroundings, which in turn helps him to avoid distractions and the expectations of others that may pressure him into making poor decisions. Many substance abusers are void of self-reliance and possess a deep-seated fear that they aren’t equal to others, aren’t capable, and just aren’t good enough. Their vocabulary contains many uses of the word “can’t,” and they truly believe it. They can’t do it. For the addict who enters rehab involuntarily at the wishes of family members or via court order, adventure therapy can change his self-perspective.
In a study on the efficacy of adventure therapy in preventing recidivism among adjudicated youths, only 20 percent of the group from the Outward Bound program committed subsequent offences, while 37 percent of the control group did.[4] Soon after the initial Outward Bound program opened its gates, others sprang up across the country from Maine to North Carolina to Oregon.[5] Intrigued by the results the programs produced in young males, the director of Minnesota Outward Bound, Bob Pieh, created the first girls’ program in 1965.[6]
Of course, connecting with nature may not always be possible in every region and climate, but the adventure therapy module leaves room for artificial interpretation in order to gain the same effects of a nature-based experience. Even when you’re trapped indoors in a snowstorm, it can be done. Indoor activities, like rock climbing walls and ropes courses, may be used to get the effects of adventure therapy when camping or canoeing isn’t readily available.[7]
Adventure therapy has shown great promise in trials for the prevention of substance abuse among youths. Thus, it stands to reason that it could be highly effective in deterring addicts from relapse post treatment. In a study of 13 men and women that spanned three days and included the principles of adventure therapy, only 31 percent had relapsed 10 months later versus 58 percent in the comparison group.[8]
Alternative Therapy Options
Another popular form of alternative therapy in the substance abuse treatment field is mindfulness, which encompasses a number of therapies, including yoga, pet therapy, art therapy, and meditation. Some medicinal forms of therapy that may relieve symptoms include acupuncture and herbal supplements.
In addition, traditional therapy options are still alive and well in the treatment community. Most treatment experts don’t believe in the concept of a one-size-fits-all treatment module. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has consistently remained one of the most widely prescribed therapies for both substance abusers and the mentally ill; however, each individual’s treatment plan must be tailored to ensure it fits the person’s unique needs.
With regard to substance abuse, CBT can assist addicts in pointing out the circumstances in which they are most likely to use drugs or alcohol. From there, they learn ways to avoid ending up in those situations, be they physical or emotional. The overall goal is to teach the substance abuser healthy ways to cope with said circumstances that don’t include drug and alcohol abuse.
Patients with a history of depressive symptoms who were in treatment for substance abuse were separated into two groups in one study, and 55.8 percent of those in the CBT group had few symptoms after three months while 33.6 percent in the control group did. By six months after treatment, 63.9 percent of the CBT group displayed minimal symptoms, whereas 43.8 percent of the control group did.[9] CBT is often used in conjunction with other treatment plans, like adventure therapy.
What About Mental Health?
All of these therapies not only have the potential to treat addiction and substance abuse problems – they can also treatment mental illness. The first formal Outward Bound program for the mentally ill was carried out in 1975 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Mental Health Center in Hanover, New Hampshire.[10] The program included activities like cross-country skiing, canoeing, and rock climbing.[11]
Often, the symptoms of mental health dysfunctions can overlap those of substance abuse. Since there is often no physical evidence of mental illness, it can be easily overlooked. Many who suffer from mental health disorders have no idea that they’re ill and don’t find out until they’ve entered treatment for addiction. In fact, around 53 percent of drug addicts and 37 percent of alcoholics are also severely mentally ill.[12]
How do you know if you’re one of the people who are suffering from a co-occurring set of disorders? Some telltale signs of possible mental health disorders include:
- Sleep disturbances
- Loss of interest in social activities
- Decreased participation and functioning at work or school
- Mood swings
- Paranoia and suspicious feelings about others
- Depersonalization
- Problems focusing on a task
- Issues with memory
- Heightened sensitivity to lights, noises and tactile sensations
- Grandiose feelings about oneself
- Fluctuations in appetite[13]
The most common mental health disorders among substance abusers are depression and anxiety-based disorders. Around 20 percent of all addicts experience anxiety or depression.[14] At the root of mental illness for many sufferers lies a serious lack of self-love and appreciation. For instance, many who struggle with depressive disorders experience extreme bouts of self-loathing. Those who battle complex disorders such as bipolar disorder or premenstrual dysphoric disorder will experience mood swings ranging from despair to explosive rage.
Adventure therapy can finesse the feelings of insecurity and unworthiness that many substance abusers and mentally ill individuals suffer from and give back a renewed sense of empowerment and pride.
Professional Treatment
Adventure therapy has carved out a treatment niche for itself and certainly won’t be going away anytime soon. The career field itself continues to appeal to many. Around 170 colleges in America train students to become recreational therapists, with a national average certification exam pass rate of 73.1 percent.[15] As of 2004, there were around 24,000 recreational therapists working in the United States.[16]
While adventure therapy can greatly benefit a recovering individual, it should be used as part of a comprehensive treatment program. A treatment coordinator will work with the recovery addict to determine exactly what types of therapies, including adventure therapies, will work best for the individual. This treatment plan should then be adjusted throughout the course of recovery, depending on the individual’s progress.
Citations
[1] Neil, J. (2006 Oct 28). “Historical & Developmental Aspects of Academic Knowledge about Adventure Therapy.” Wilderdom. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[2] Gass, M.A., Gillis, L. & Russell K.C. (2012) “Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice.” Google Books. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[3] Gruring, C. (2007). “The Role of Adventure Therapy in the Comprehensive Treatment of Adolescents who Committed Sexual Abuse: A Case Study.”
[4] Gass, M.A., Gillis, L. & Russell K.C. (2012) “Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice.” Google Books. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Neil, J. (2006 Oct 28). “Historical & Developmental Aspects of Academic Knowledge about Adventure Therapy.” Wilderdom. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[8] Bennett, L.W., Cardone, S. & Jarczyk, J. (1998 September). “Effects of a therapeutic camping program on addiction recovery. The Algonquin Haymarket Relapse Prevention Program.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[9] K. E. Watkins, S. B. Hunter, K. A. Hepner, S. M. Paddock, E. de la Cruz, A. J. Zhou & J. Gilmore. (2011 June 6). “An Effectiveness Trial of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Patients with Persistent Depressive Symptoms in Substance Abuse Treatment.” JAMA Psychiatry. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[10] Gass, M.A., Gillis, L. & Russell K.C. (2012) “Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice.” Google Books. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[11] Ibid.
[12] “Substance Abuse and Co-occurring Disorders.” (n.d.). National Alliance on Mental Illness. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[13] “Warning Signs of Mental Illness.” (n.d.). American Psychiatric Association. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[14] “Substance Abuse.” (n.d.). Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
[15] “Therapeutic recreation.” (n.d.). BYU Marriott School. Accessed April 4, 2015.
[16] Ibid.