8 Ways Taking Care of Plants Takes Care of You

Immediate gratification isn’t a thing when taking care of plants, and that’s a good thing.Too much of our addiction was seeking the immediate relief of the pain that we feel. Planting teaches you that real growth takes time. Not every plant needs the same things to grow either. People aren’t so different, but sometimes we don’t see it that way. Some of us need more sun, less water, more time to process how we’re feeling. Lastly, everything (everyone, rather) has the ability to grow, change, and adapt. Just like how a plant can outgrow a pot, you can outgrow your environment, too.

Addiction and mental health disorders can strip you of your pride and replace it with guilt and shame. You can regain some of this pride after admitting your struggle and successfully complete treatment. However, long-term pride and confidence still needs to be cultivated. Taking care of plants can give back a sense of ongoing accomplishment and pride in your work. Checking up on a plant, seeing how it’s doing, and noticing how you’re helping it thrive can develop a mutual feeling of hope. If you can grow this plant, you can grow, too.

We find purpose in work and thrive on doing tasks that increase the value of ourselves and the world around us. We don’t always have the opportunity to feel that satisfaction in our daily life, though. This is especially true at the start of recovery, when we’re restructuring the majority of our lives. Taking care of plants helps you to “connect to nature” and your environment, set down roots (pun intended again), and develop a positive attitude to how you’re contributing to it.

Engaging in and cultivating a healthy community that supports your recovery is another important step in our journey. Entering into new communities is a lot easier and less nerve wracking when you share the same interests and hobbies. Finding a “green community” creates the initial connection that can help boost that side of your recovery. You can develop and grow new, healthy relationships while you learn new skills from others. Good relationships help you boost self-esteem, develop a positive outlook on life, and generally live well. Using planting as an “in” to a positive space like this is an excellent strategy.

It should go without saying that taking care of plants lets you get some fresh air, which is always good. You also get more time in the sun, but more on that in a minute. Even if you keep all your plants inside, the same benefit can be felt, though to a lesser extent. Some plants naturally purify the air, but all increase the quality and freshness of the air in some way. Breathing easier can help you feel more grounded and in control. This is especially important to have on days where cravings creep up.

Indoor planting is becoming a lot more popular these days. However, taking part in more traditional gardening takes advantage of the physical benefits of the great outdoors. These advantages include increased vitamin D levels from the sun, lowered blood pressure, and a boosted immune system. Growing your own food can naturally improve your diet and nutrition, too. You can’t grow Cheetos as far as I’m aware. (But if anyone finds a way, can you please let me know?) You’ll naturally eat healthier because you’re eating unprocessed, unaltered food.

Taking care of plants provides two very helpful coping strategies; distraction and mindfulness. Planting requires you to use your whole self: your hands, your mind, etc. This makes planting a great distraction tool, alleviating stress and letting you relax as you work, including from the pressures recovery might bring. Taking care of plants also creates a quiet space for you to reflect, distracting or analyzing cravings and negative thoughts, and helping to prevent a relapse. For more on coping skills, check out our videos on distraction and mindfulness.

Boredom is a strong emotion. It’s the disinterest of things that would usually entertain, motivate, or inspire us. In recovery, we spend so much time retraining our hearts and minds to desire things other than what we were addicted to. Planting is a great topic of thought to replace in your brain. You can spend hours upon hours learning about new plants and how to cultivate your own garden. Even after the research is done, boredom is still being curved with the hours spent caring for all the new plants.