4 Important Ways Mindfulness Helps Addiction Recovery

4 Important Ways Mindfulness Helps Addiction Recovery

 

4 Important Ways Mindfulness Helps Addiction Recovery

Every client at The Sanctuary learns and practices mindfulness techniques as an integral part of their treatment program. Mindfulness meditation is proven addiction treatment strategy – here’s what makes it so powerful:

  • It reduces stress.

As humans, our stress response is built into our biological makeup. Everyday stressors as minor as receiving a stressful email or getting stuck in traffic cause your body to release stress hormones and switch into fight-or-flight mode. If stress isn’t processed properly, it can lead to consequences like physical and mental illness and addiction. Mindfulness helps you switch over to rest-and-digest mode (your parasympathetic nervous system) which makes you happier, more productive and more at ease – therefore making your body and mind an environment where addiction is far less likely to thrive.

  • It Complements Other Forms of Therapy.

Practicing mindfulness and reducing stress make the recovery process more comfortable, making you more receptive to therapy. By using meditation techniques to consciously observe your thoughts and feelings, your mind will begin to feel clearer, and you’ll find it easier to let go of negative thought patterns. Mindfulness is especially helpful when used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

  • It Helps Prevent Relapse.

Mindfulness helps ease the stress that can lead to relapse by teaching us to be fully aware and present in each moment. When confronted with a trigger, you’ll have a well-honed ability to take a step back, take a deep breath and let it pass – instead of reaching for substances in a knee-jerk reaction. The more you practice meditation, the easier it becomes to shift into this space.

  • It’s the Antithesis of Addiction

Substances dull our senses in all ways – but most importantly, they dull our perception of the world. While drugs and alcohol may temporarily numb negative feelings like anxiety, they also numb positive feelings like joy. While we’re on substances, we’re in an ego-centric space, riding our artificially high energy waves. This may make us feel good at the time, but we become unable to hear the quiet whispers in which the universe often speaks to us – and therefore miss out on everything it’s telling us about the meaning and purpose of our lives. Mindfulness meditation helps us journey inward and access a quiet space where we can listen to our spirit’s guidance.

Mindfulness is for Everyone

Meditation can seem difficult at first, but the more you practice, the more you’ll reap its benefits. If you’re new to meditation, try starting with something short and simple, like sitting up straight and breathing deeply for five minutes at the start of each day – you’ll quickly notice how much clearer you feel. Or, try a guided meditation, like these from Refuge Recovery.

Holistic, Mindfulness-Based Addiction Recovery at The Sanctuary

The Sanctuary’s non-12-Step approach holistically heals the mind, body, soul and spirit. We offer daily practice in mindfulness and other forms of meditation, so you can experience its wonderful, life-changing effects in your recovery.

To learn more about integrative addiction treatment, check out our article on Mind, Body, Soul and Spirit Integration.

To learn more about how we can help you, call us at (877) 710-3385 or email us at [email protected].