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April 10, 2019

How Mindfulness Can Help with Addiction Recovery

What is Mindfulness and How Can it Help in Recovery?

The concept of Mindfulness originated with Buddhist meditation, but lately it has been adapted as a secular approach to assisting people with mental health issues like anxiety, stress, and depression. There are three main steps to mindfulness:

  1. Mindfulness must be intentional. Through a conscious effort, the subject becomes aware of what they experience in the moment, including their thoughts and feelings.
  2. Mindfulness, like many approaches to addiction recovery, focuses on acceptance. The subject can’t deny what they feel in the moment, good or bad.
  3. Mindfulness is non-judgmental. In addition to accepting what they’re feeling, the subject also shouldn’t just it. They should be neither self-critical nor self-congratulatory about it.

The process is structured to help the subject learn to recognize thought patterns and feelings, and ultimately develop skills to regulate them. These steps also teach the patient not to avoid what they are experiencing. Attempts to avoid experiences have been linked to many emotional and mental health difficulties, including addiction. It’s thought that helping patients learn not to avoid difficulties will also assist them in staying sober.

Mindfulness in Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery

At rehablinks.org, we know there are numerous approaches to helping people in recovery stay sober. Many experts we’ve interviewed suggest addicts learn to recognize triggers for their desire to drink or use drugs. This allows them to create a strategy for dealing with their triggers. We wanted to know: Can mindfulness help?

Mindfulness is recommended for individuals who wants to reduce stress, relax, and improve quality of life. Reducing stress is beneficial for symptoms of anxiety and depression, which may contribute to substance use issues for some people. For those in recovery from a drug or alcohol problem, mindfulness can provide assistance. It allows the addict to focus on what they’re thinking and feeling when the desire to drink or use occurs. Once a person becomes aware of thoughts or feelings that trigger the urge, they can develop coping mechanisms to address these thoughts or feelings in a healthier way. Talking to a friend or attending a meeting, for example, can help reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation.

Mindfulness can be used in combination with other recovery methods. Addicts who go to counseling or therapy may find mindfulness helps them identify issues they might want to discuss with their therapist. 12-step meetings are helpful for those who want to share what they’re feeling in the moment with others who have similar challenges.

Mindfulness can help reduce stress and anxiety, and improves self-observation and positivity. Additionally, it increases self-control and reduces impulsiveness, which are important steps for those struggling to overcome an addiction.

How Do You Begin Mindfulness?

There are different approaches to mindfulness and meditation, and you may want to experiment until you find a method that works well for you. One method that’s simple for beginners is to spend a few minutes sitting and focusing on your breathing. You shouldn’t try to make anything happen during this period—just open yourself up to being aware of whatever you’re experiencing. Try to notice as you inhale and exhale. Don’t judge your thoughts, and if you get distracted, return your focus to your breathing. You can start by doing this for five minutes a day, then work your way up to twenty. If you like to exercise, another method is to work on mindfulness while walking, by slowing down and focusing on each step.

As you get better at mindfulness, there are other exercises you can try, and many books or podcasts on the subject.

Vivian Cummings is a staff writer for rehablinks.org, and has interviewed more than 100 experts on addiction and recovery for the website. She has also worked in marketing, PR, advertising, and television, and has written for The Tampa Tribune and Teen People.

 

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