When a person lives with an addiction to drugs or alcohol every part of their health and wellbeing is affected. While many may believe that detox is enough to free people from the grasp of addiction, this is simply not true. Addiction is a serious, multifaceted condition that requires compassionate, comprehensive treatment.
Incorporating holistic therapies can help to treat the whole person–mind, body, soul, and community. For some, mindfulness can be a powerful, holistic approach to treating some of the physical and emotional aspects of addiction. Using mindfulness in addiction recovery gives people a valuable coping mechanism that may support their long-term recovery and prevent relapse.
Mindfulness is the practice of learning to focus on your thoughts and feelings in the present moment. Many people find it challenging to stay grounded in the current moment because we tend to think ahead to the future or re-live the past. Focusing on the present moment can help people feel calmer, regulate emotions, and reduce stress.
Mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but many medical and mental health practitioners advise patients to use mindfulness for its numerous benefits. Alongside other evidence-based treatments, mindfulness is used to treat stress, pain, depression, and many other mental health conditions.
Experts believe mindfulness helps people have less emotional reactions or judgment of their experiences. This can lead to greater acceptance of challenges and fewer destructive reactions.
There are many ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. While some believe that meditation is the purest form of mindfulness practice, it is possible to engage in mindfulness in other ways. These include:
Guided meditation practices, including online videos and apps, are popular ways to begin practicing meditation. Consistency is key when starting to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine.
In 2014, research into mindfulness revealed evidence of measurable changes to areas of the brain involved with several vital functions. The areas that showed difference included ones associated with:
The information researchers gained from brain scans matched the study participants’ self-reports. The study revealed that people who regularly engaged in mindfulness had results they could feel, and researchers could measure.
Regularly practicing mindfulness has been shown to provide many emotional and physical benefits. While not everyone experiences these benefits, many people have reported:
Mindfulness has been shown to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps people experience a measurable decrease in their emotional and physical symptoms of stress. This stress reduction can impact a person’s mental health. But it can also influence a person’s physical well-being.
Regularly practicing mindfulness has been shown to lower the amount of C-reactive proteins in the body. C-reactive proteins indicate inflammation and are associated with various harmful health conditions. Reducing the amount of C-reactive proteins in the body is associated with positive health outcomes, including:
Some research suggests reducing C-reactive proteins may improve fertility, too. While researchers are still exploring the connection between mindfulness and improved health outcomes, the evidence supporting the benefits of mindfulness seems to be strong.
Addiction is a serious and complex condition that affects every part of a person living with it. Because addiction is more than simply a physical condition, people with addiction require comprehensive treatment to overcome it.
Many comprehensive addiction treatment programs utilize a combination of evidence-based and holistic therapies to help people identify and treat the complex roots of addiction. These may include:
Incorporating mindfulness, whether through meditation, journaling, yoga, or other practices, may help people cope with the physical and emotional stress of recovery. Mindfulness can be fundamental to a person’s recovery by improving their overall physical and mental well-being and giving them a healthy way to manage stress and challenges.
Since addiction can never be truly cured, it is essential for people in recovery to find ways to stay engaged and committed to sobriety for life. People can enjoy the benefits of mindfulness during addiction treatment and for the rest of their life in recovery.
If you or a loved one require addiction treatment or support at any stage of recovery, reach out to the Recovery Guide today.
Michael Herbert, The Recovery Guide, has more than 30 years of experience working closely with individuals and families dealing with addiction and recovery issues. He is a seasoned Coach and can help you and your family establish long-term goals and access the tools you need for continued abstinence and recovery for the entire family. Get in touch with Michael today at 561-221-7677 to schedule an appointment.
