At The Farley Center, we are big believers in the value of engrossing hobbies for those who are in recovery from a substance use disorder. By and large, any hobby—as long as it does not tempt you to return to drugs or alcohol—will do. You could garden, for example, or take up geocaching, or become an avid birdwatcher. Your hobby is your hobby, and as long as you enjoy it and find it consistently engaging, it is the right hobby for you—no matter what anyone else might say about it.
In this entry, we want to focus on a particular kind of hobby that might be of interest to you. Consider becoming a completist.
What Is a Completist?
Think of a completist as a person who is ongoingly interested in everything in a certain category. That category can be any of a number of things, and we will provide some examples below. For the moment, the important thing to know is that a completist often starts at the beginning of their category and works their way all the way to the end. They might do this casually or with a heightened level of interest or even with scholarly attention.
There are a couple of advantages to having a hobby that follows a clear path.
- Once you choose a category, you can pursue it without having to make too many additional choices along the way. This can serve a person in recovery well because you want your hobby to relieve stress—not cause it.
- Taking the next step along the path to completing a project can be a quick win. Sometimes, when everything feels overwhelming, taking a clear forward step on a project—even when that project is a hobby—can help you get back on track more generally.
- This type of hobby is easy to return to if you find you have fallen away from it for one reason or another. You can just pick up where you left off.
- A completion project is a replicable approach to having a hobby. When you reach the end of a category, you can choose another and start over.
- Depending on what you choose to pursue, this kind of project can be low-cost or even free.
Some Examples of Completion Projects
So, what kinds of projects are we talking about?
Well, you might:
- Read all the Hercule Poirot mystery novels and stories by Agatha Christie. Or read all the Miss Marple novels and stories by Agatha Christie. Or read everything by Agatha Christie.
- Watch all the episodes of a particular Star Trek series. Or watch all the episodes of every Star Trek series.
- Listen through the discography of Ella Fitzgerald or Linda Ronstadt or Taylor Swift.
Of course, you can replace Agatha Christie with any author, Star Trek with any television or movie franchise, and Ella, Linda, or Taylor with any musician. You might work your way through all the films by a particular director, all the television shows by a given creator, or all the albums made by a certain producer.
You can also be a completist when it comes to collecting anything—baseball cards from a certain year or team, figurines from a given company, stamps from a particular country or era, action figures from a favorite series, and on and on. This can be more expensive than the approaches we have listed above (and can take up a lot more space), but it can also be a satisfying hobby.
Important Note: You Can Stop at Any Time
You have no doubt seen a commercial for one thing or another that includes the disclaimer, “You can cancel at any time.”
That is true of a completist hobby as well. Maybe you dive into Agatha Christie’s work and discover you just don’t like it—or that you are bored by it after two or five or ten books. Maybe a show stops appealing to you or a musician’s work becomes tiresome to listen to or what have you.
No problem.
Just stop and find something else that interests you. Sure, you might miss out on the feeling of satisfaction when you reach the end of something, but it is far more important that you enjoy your hobby than that you stick with it when you are not enjoying it.
And after taking some time off from a project, you might find yourself wanting to return to it. You also might not. Either is perfectly fine. Remember, you are looking for a hobby that helps you relax and recharge—not one that feels like an ongoing chore.
Our Work for You Is Always Ongoing
At The Farley Center, located in Williamsburg, Virginia, we do not think of our work in terms of completion. Once you seek us out for help with a substance use disorder, you can count on us to provide ongoing resources and support, even after your time in treatment has come to an end. Our alumni program ensures you stay connected with others who understand what you have been through—and what you are going through now. The program also gives you ongoing access to support from The Farley Center team.
When you are ready to make a transformative change, we are ready to help.
