As people work through the process of recovery, they often deal with various peaks and valleys. The routines that keep them on track to staying clean and sober may seem repetitive. That’s when it hits home that there will be no magical moment where they feel completely cured and that there are no quick fixes for staying sober. If you’re looking for new ways to boost your recovery journey, start asking questions about other practices like “Can mindfulness meditation work for addiction?”
What is Mindfulness Meditation?
The roots of mindfulness meditation can be traced back over 2,600 years. Buddhist monks incorporated mindfulness exercises into the various forms of meditation used on their quest for enlightenment. The idea behind the use of mindfulness meditation exercises is to help humans be more present in their current lives. The goal is to open people up to better awareness of themselves and the rest of the world.
If you’re asking, “Can mindfulness meditation work for addiction?”, keep in mind that negative thought patterns often drive people toward addiction. Mindfulness meditation helps reshape the brain to use more positive thinking. That leads to better physical mental health, which encourages us to do a better job of looking after our entire well-being.
How Does Mindfulness Meditation Help With Addiction Issues?
Someone starting out in recovery might have difficulty breaking their old destructive patterns. If you’re further down the road, you may feel stuck in a rut after the initial excitement you feel upon getting sober. Mindfulness meditation is a way of reshaping our brain in ways that keep dark thoughts at bay and keep us focused on the goal of not giving in to addiction.
Can mindfulness meditation work for addiction? It makes sense if you think about the brain itself. One of the reasons it’s such a fascinating organ is that it’s the only one that learns from our experiences. The more we use it, the stronger it grows, similar to how we reshape our bodies with exercise. It may help to think of mindful meditation as a sort of exercise routine for the brain.
Getting into the habit of using our brain positively gives us more control and awareness of the decisions we make in life. That proves helpful when you find yourself in a situation where you’re surrounded by the kind of triggers that led to your addiction issues.
Examples of Mindful Meditation for Recovery
If you’re still asking questions like, “Can mindfulness meditation work for addiction?”, look at the five core practices that make up mindfulness meditation. They all reinforce the core tenets taught to us while receiving addiction treatment.
Being Present
Start with the ordinary things, like tracking how the food feels in your hands as you prepare breakfast to the sights you see on your way to work. It’s about focusing on actual reality instead of your perception of what’s going on around you. It combats the urge many with addiction issues feel to escape from the stresses of daily life.
Breathing Concentration
Pay attention to the ebb and flow of your breathing, especially when confronted with a situation that may trigger anxiety. It helps keep us calm and getting out of control when dealing with stress. You also avoid being pulled into a downward spiral of negative thoughts, which could end in a relapse.
Separate Your Thoughts From Reality
Our thoughts go a long way toward driving how feel and the way we react to different situations. Take time to examine what you’re thinking when you find yourself feeling depressed or anxious. Instead of giving into self-destructive behavior, self-examination of what we’re thinking help us turn things around and see ourselves in a more accurate and positive light.
Feel Compassion for Others
Start looking at the actions of others with a sense of compassion instead of judgment. It helps break down our prejudices and stereotypical thinking, allowing us to build bridges and give others the kind of help we ourselves seek during recovery.
Experience Stillness
Sometimes it’s good to take a break from the continuous activity of the world. You can achieve stillness in different ways like practicing yoga or sitting by a window at night and looking up at the sky.
Explore Mindfulness Meditation at Atlantic Recovery Center
Atlantic Recovery Center offers a variety of programs and treatments for people dealing with addiction issues.
- Residential Treatment
- Partial Hospitalization
- Outpatient Treatment
- Aftercare Program
If you’re looking for an answer to the question, “Can mindfulness meditation help with recovery?”, contact us today at 1-866-824-5193.