Movement

Physical activity can support health and wellbeing during recovery. What is useful and manageable depends on the person's interests, circumstances and health.

Movement includes everyday physical activity as well as planned exercise. It may involve walking, wheeling, dancing, gardening, household tasks or an adapted activity that is meaningful and manageable for the person.

Physical activity can benefit health, mood and sleep. Research also suggests possible benefits for some substance-use outcomes, but it does not establish that exercise alone treats addiction or reliably prevents return to use.

The activity needs to fit the person's health and circumstances. Pain, disability, illness, fatigue, cost or an unsafe environment can affect what is possible. Doing less, resting or needing assistance is not a failure of recovery.

Exercise does not make withdrawal safe or replace clinical care. If alcohol dependence may be present, seek medical advice before stopping or substantially reducing drinking. Seizures or severe withdrawal symptoms need emergency help. Feeling unwell, faint or having chest pain during activity calls for stopping and medical advice. Chest pain that does not go away, spreads to the arm, neck, jaw or back, or occurs with breathlessness, sweating or feeling faint needs emergency help. Harmful or hard-to-control exercise patterns also deserve assessment, even when other people praise the activity.

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