Wilderness addiction treatment is an adventure-based therapy that uses activities in and exploration of a wilderness environment as a method of therapeutic intervention. There are different types of wilderness therapies available throughout the US that employ a wide range of approaches and models. Some take an “outward bound” approach while others employ survival techniques with the goal of improving one’s self-reliance as well as their self-respect. Although the therapy is a relatively new concept, it is growing in popularity every day.
Many of the individuals who have enhance their recovery with wilderness therapy are teens and young adults but older individuals can benefit from this as well. Most of them have claimed that it was an extremely beneficial, enjoyable, and positive experience. During their wilderness therapy, they learned assertiveness, independence, patience, and self-reliance while at the same time maturing from the experience. Additionally, there is no singled standardized model for this particular type of therapy.