Move a Muscle,
Change a Thought

Every aspect of Surfside’s program was built with intention, particularly the integration of daily physical movement and activities for our residents. Our mission to end the cycle of chronic substance use demands that we incorporate a variety of tools and adjunctive therapies to tackle addiction and mental illness head-on. There’s a growing mountain of research that reveals regular moderate and high intensity exercise can decrease cravings, improve self-reported depression/anxiety, and start to rebuild substance-induced neurological damage.

Why Movement?

Here’s some straightforward data that informs why physical activity is a critical component of our program:
  • In a 2010 study of aerobic exercise as an adjunctive therapy for substance use disorder, participants who engaged in at least 75% of physical fitness programming had more abstinent days than those who didn’t participate and reported significantly better outcomes (Brown et al, 2010). This statistic alone motivates us to stay moving.
  • “Lifestyle Modification” is one of the tenets of the standard, universally accepted Relapse Prevention model that is referenced in most treatment settings. It is widely accepted that exercise is a healthy replacement behavior. We don’t just talk about lifestyle modification here – we embody it.
  • A 2012 study of heroin users revealed that the majority of participants self-reported that exercise helped reduce their heroin use (Neale et al, 2012).
  • Way back in 1988, researchers found that group fitness classes promoted accountability and consistency in early recovery, helping participants begin to integrate healthy habits into their daily routines.
  • Dual-diagnosis patients experiencing depression, anxiety or mood disorders in conjunction with their substance use were more likely to want to integrate exercise into their recovery. 89% of patients surveyed hoped to begin exercising in early recovery.

What Makes Surfside’s Programming Unique?

A 2015 survey of participants in substance use programming reports that 70% of patients want an exercise program to be part of their treatment, and 76% of them want to be offered multiple fitness modalities. Participants in this study reported the biggest barriers to regular physical activity were lack of equipment, direction, confidence or motivation – very few reported that they didn’t have the time to work out (Stroutenberg et al., 2015).

Surfside’s variety of outlets for physical fitness seeks to remove the barriers reported in different studies. By providing a massive fitness center (Saltwater Athletics) directly next door to Shore Break Recovery, equipment is easily accessible. We offer a structured trainer-led fitness class multiple days a week, as well as the freedom to build one’s own workout on “open gym” days. From bicycles to paddleboards to one-wheel skateboards and a range of team sports, we open the door for residents to explore the physical movement that feels right for them. And on the days that motivation is lacking, we simply ask residents to bring the body & the mind will follow… just like we do in recovery.