Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles

The Benefits of Wilderness Therapy for Treating Addiction and Substance Abuse

By Meghan Vivo

Throughout history, spiritual leaders and great teachers like Moses, Jesus, Gandhi, and Buddha have set out for the wilderness in search of inspiration, meaning, and enlightenment. Though our society and surroundings have changed drastically since the time our ancestors sought solace in nature, the wilderness has remained a constant source of renewal.

A young person who ventures out into the wilderness now is likely to experience many of the same emotions and revelations that some of the great thinkers of the past encountered. The stillness and simplicity of nature makes us slow down, shift our thinking from the chaotic nature of daily life to a more reflective state, and opens us up spiritually.

Connecting with a Higher Power

Research has documented the positive effects spirituality can have on the physical and emotional well-being of young people. Having a spiritual orientation has proven to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression, and increase feelings of satisfaction, optimism, and purpose.

One of the main principles of Steps 2 and 3 of the 12-Step model is coming to believe in a power greater than ourselves and turning things over to that power. At Passages To Recovery, a wilderness-based addiction and substance abuse treatment program for young men ages 18 to 30, this is not a religious concept. Even young people who don’t embrace a faith of any kind can develop a deep sense of spirituality in the wilderness.

“The wilderness creates an opportunity to have a spiritual experience,” says Bryan Thomas, CPCI, a wilderness therapist at Passages To Recovery. “Connecting with a higher power is an abstract concept, but spending just 72 hours in the wilderness will make it real.”

Wilderness field instructor, Amber Margolis, adds, “When you look around, you see this is something so much greater than any of us. The wilderness is a power greater than you – the snow, the wind, the rain – we can’t control it, we’re powerless to it, yet we are all connected to it in some way.”

The Process of Surrender

Young adulthood is a time when many young people believe that the world revolves around them, and they are ultimately in control of what happens in their lives. The wilderness, which is inherently uncontrollable, strips away the illusion of control, encouraging young people to see life for what it truly is. Rather than focusing on oneself as the most important entity in the world, participants in wilderness therapy begin to see that they are part of a larger, more enduring reality.

The wilderness is one of the few settings in existence today that is timeless and universal. The fact that the wilderness has been around for millions of years and young people have been around for a mere 18 to 30 years makes us aware of our humanity and the need to make the most of the short time we have to enjoy life.

A unique opportunity to reflect in an inspirational setting, wilderness therapy reminds young people about what is important in life and brings about a shift in perspective. When young people stop focusing on themselves and take into consideration the needs and values of the society around them, they begin to develop a sense of identity, self-efficacy, and self-esteem. Over time, they feel a sense of belonging to a larger system and a need to contribute to that system in a productive way.

When surrounded by huge trees and massive red rock formations, vast expanses of land and sky, and the surprising grace of a wild creature, none of which we had a hand in creating, we tend to think about our place in the larger scheme of things. After spending years in the woods, Henry David Thoreau came to the humbling realization that we are “an inhabitant, or part and parcel of nature.” Years later, John Muir echoed that sentiment, noting that wilderness helps people see themselves as “a small part of the one great union of creation.”

Psychologist Robert Greenway found that people who ventured into the wilderness experienced a “perceptual shift.” The changes they experienced were neither sudden nor intense, but rather gradual and lasting. This mental shift created space for new emotions and thought processes to emerge.

Young adults who have relied on drugs or alcohol in the past to cope with difficult situations, have fun, or fit in can no longer use these crutches when presented with challenges in a wilderness program. The absence of the crutch of substance abuse further opens up space for healthier behaviors and coping mechanisms to emerge.

Opportunities for Success and Connection

Wilderness therapy presents ongoing opportunities for success. Many young adults at Passages To Recovery have never put up a tent, built a fire, or cooked a meal for a group, so every new experience is a chance to build on small successes. There are also opportunities for larger successes, such as completing rites of passage like the sweat lodge or “solo” (a solitary period of reflection that occurs at the end of the wilderness experience).

There is also unlimited potential to establish authentic connections with other people. Students at Passages To Recovery live and work together 24 hours a day. Fairly quickly, they see each other’s real personalities and struggles, and discover that the experience is more fulfilling the sooner they get real with themselves and others.

As young adults in wilderness therapy begin to connect with the staff and their peers, they develop a heightened awareness that they have things to give and receive, says Dennis Thompson, a program director at Passages To Recovery. Building relationships, feeling less alone, giving yourself permission to feel respected and give respect are all important parts of recovery.
 
“When young people use alcohol and drugs, the biggest thing they give up is relationship,” explains Thompson. “When you trade that off, you lose your support system, and the pursuit of the drug becomes all-consuming. Before you know it, you have fewer and fewer choices and can’t see any other way to survive. Wilderness therapy helps create new choices and the possibility of a more fulfilling life – if they choose to take it.”

An Introduction to the 12 Steps and Other Recovery Tools

Wilderness therapy programs like Passages To Recovery offer advantages beyond the many benefits of living in the wilderness. Young people at Passages To Recovery also learn the basic tools of recovery, including the 12 Steps, the way addiction affects brain chemistry, how to identify triggers and addictive thinking patterns, and the value of attending 12-Step meetings.

Each day in the field begins with a prayer and meditation based on the 11th step and a reading from the AA “Big Book,” and ends with group therapy and a personal inventory exercise based on the 10th step that involves sharing resentments, acknowledgements, and amends from that day. Many of the staff members at Passages To Recovery are uniquely qualified to help young people struggling with substance abuse or addiction, having successfully worked the 12 Steps and being in recovery themselves.

A change of scenery is important for young people working to overcome a substance abuse problem. Many young people know how to function at home or at a drug rehab center, and past experiences set a continuing pattern that is difficult to break. But most young people do not know how to operate in the wilderness.

“It is the healing power of nature that makes wilderness therapy so much more effective than a traditional drug rehab program,” explains Margolis. “When you shake the foundation of what a person is accustomed to, you’re more likely to get a different result.”