Meditation and Addiction Recovery: A Guide
Addiction recovery can be a challenging and stressful time in someone’s life. Not only are you dealing with the withdrawals that come with detox, but there are also huge lifestyle changes that you are facing. With so many changes that you are going through, it’s understandable if your stress and anxiety levels are at an all-time high.
If you are having a hard time handling stressful situations, anxiety, and your triggers, it may be a good time to try out meditation. The different mindfulness and grounding techniques can make it easier to manage the mental and emotional challenges of recovery.
How Meditation And Addiction Recovery Work Together
Lowers Stress & Anxiety
Recovery from addiction can increase anxiety and stress due to how challenging a lifestyle change and sobriety can be. Meditation can help manage cravings and triggers by quieting the mind and allowing space to really focus on the here and now.
Improves Overall Mood
During recovery, there can be a lot of mood swings and negative feelings arise. One of the biggest benefits of meditation is improved mood. This makes it much easier to stay positive during day-to-day tasks.
Helps Regulate Sleep Patterns
Early recovery can be especially challenging due to lack of sleep caused by anxiety and stress. The calming nature of meditation makes it easier to wind down and relieve the pressure before bedtime.
Tips To Improve Your Meditation Time
Stick To A Schedule
While you don’t need to devote a huge amount of time to meditation, it does help if it is done consistently and frequently. Make a schedule for your daily meditation time or times, and put significant effort into keeping that schedule. Try to make it at a time when you won’t be pressed to do other things, like before bed or first thing in the morning.
Create A Relaxing Environment
Meditation is only maximally effective when it receives the full focus and attention of the participant. This means the space where you meditate should be calming, quiet, and comfortable.
Breathe With Mindfulness
Breathing with a calm and steady cadence while meditating can help maintain focus on the “now”. Breath control is one of the core practices of meditation and can be carried over into other therapy practices such as yoga. Many people find that they can be easily distracted while meditating, and focusing on breathing helps to avoid that.
Set Firm Intentions
This is essential for those integrating meditation and addiction recovery. Since maintaining effective recovery and avoiding relapse is going to be the primary responsibility of the patient, incorporating these goals into the meditation routine can help cement the treatment objectives.
Get Even More Benefits By Using Guided Meditation For Addiction Recovery
By far, the best way to get the maximum benefits of meditation for substance abuse is to find an addiction treatment facility that incorporates meditation in their treatment plans. Not only will guided meditation be more helpful with professional administration, but it can then be combined with multiple other treatments and therapies.
Meditation by itself simply doesn’t constitute a treatment plan or a long-term solution to any addiction. It does, however, represent a great therapy activity that can provide incredible benefits when combined with things like cognitive behavioral therapy, group and individual therapy, and counseling.
Capo Canyon Integrates Holistic Treatments With Leading Therapy Techniques
If you or someone important in your life may be struggling with addiction, meditation can help, but the most effective way to address alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder is with a cohesive, personalized treatment plan. Your personal treatment plan will be created by you and your addiction expert and will be crafted to support your individual addiction recovery needs. Reach out today to the local addiction experts at Capo Canyon, and begin your journey to recovery today.
