In the past few years, addiction has become a major issue in our society. To combat this epidemic, many individuals are looking for ways to volunteer their time and skills. There are so many great organizations that need help!
Addicts can be treated as a marginalized group, and this is why they must be allowed the opportunity to volunteer.
Volunteering has been proven to reduce stress, increase happiness, improve immunity, and decrease depression. There are many ways addicts can volunteer in their communities, and each has its benefits.
Mediums such as food banks or soup kitchens are places where they will get the chance to interact with people who are also struggling in some way.
This level of human interaction helps them not only feel good about themselves but also become self-reliant. This improvement provides numerous benefits for society due to fewer crime rates among other things.
When it comes to addiction recovery, some mediums are more effective than others. Some effective mediums of volunteering for addicts are:
- Homeless children shelter: Seeing kids that do not have homes and families to care for them brings a sense of purpose and assists addicts with recovery. Responsibilities will include joining community outreaches, sorting for ways to secure funds, and meeting different people. Addicts tend to get engaged and involved with social activities that reduce the urge for addiction triggers.
- Library: Libraries are always in need of volunteers. Addicts can take this as leverage to pastime on interesting books and meet great minds. Donating books, shelves, and documentaries to libraries can also give people a sense of fulfillment which is good for addiction recovery.
- Restaurants: If you do not have time to volunteer during the day, you can always fill in at restaurants during the evening. Restaurants are also a place where you can explore giving back to your society other than staying home ruminating on your problems.
- Volunteering as a Tutor: Tutoring is a great way to find closure and explore new things while you simultaneously evade addiction risk factors. Whether you do it at an elementary school close by or simply help your kids with their school work, it all counts.