If you or a loved one are suffering from addiction, then you probably know that meditation isn’t a fast and easy cure. However, mindfulness meditation has many benefits and can be a big help in overcoming your addiction if used correctly. With this in mind, let’s take an in-depth look at what mindfulness meditation is and how it can help you on the road to recovery.
Understanding Meditation and Addiction
Addictions can be psychological, physical, or both. While there is a lot of science behind the nature of addiction, the basic idea is that your brain isn’t getting the chemicals that it normally needs so you turn to other means of getting them. This can take the form of an addiction to alcohol, sex, drugs, video games, and food, just to name a few.
Mindfulness meditation helps to curb addictive behavior by getting you to focus on your current circumstances. This is particularly helpful when addictive behavior becomes automatic. While psychological addictions can be treated directly with meditation, they can also help with physical additions by helping you to avoid triggers, lessen cravings, and even mitigate withdrawal symptoms.
How Mindfulness Meditation Works
Mindfulness meditation is a very specific form of meditation that is much easier to perform than traditional methods. It can be helpful during stressful situations such as at work or before a competition. Mindfulness meditation is also helpful for calming yourself during life’s quiet moments as well such as the drive to work or while brushing your teeth. Performing mindfulness meditation is easy.
You simply take a moment to collect your thoughts and focus your concentration on the here and now. It also helps if you can get comfortable and focus on your breathing. Minimizing distractions is good too. The goal is to calm yourself and let go of the negativity that accumulates when your mind works on auto-pilot. This will have an immediate soothing effect and bring you feelings of peace and tranquility.
The Benefits of Meditation
Using mindfulness meditation to help cope with addiction during recovery has many benefits. Some are mental, others physical, and some are even financial. Here is a quick list of how helpful mindfulness meditation for addiction can be:
- Reduces Stress
- Improves Sleep
- Lessens Cravings
- Doesn’t Cost Anything
The best thing about mindfulness meditation is that anyone can do it. There are no physical or financial barriers. Even if you’re not experienced with meditation, you don’t have t worry. Mindfulness meditation is the simplest form of meditation and can be done in just about any place or time. This makes it perfect for those who are recovering from addiction.
Why Mindfulness Meditation is Not a Cure for Addiction
Even though mindfulness meditation is a big help when dealing with addiction, we must stress that it is not a cure for addiction. Relying on nothing but meditation can be a trap that leads to a false sense of security because it is very easy to believe that you could just meditate the addiction away anytime you want. This is perhaps the one downside to meditation being such an accessible form of treatment.
Mindfulness meditation works best when it is a part of a comprehensive plan to combat addiction. In most cases, this requires professional help either in an advisory capacity or to provide direct treatment. Addiction is a serious problem that will only get worse in most cases if not treated so it isn’t something you can afford to ignore. If you or a loved one are battling addiction, we’re here to help.
Our treatment center offers the latest in addiction recovery programs to help you beat your addiction for good. Mindfulness meditation is just one of the tools we use to help you take back control of your life and kick your bad habits. To learn more about our programs and how they can help, call us now at 833-497-3808. No matter how badly you’re struggling or how hopeless it feels, we’re always here to help you on the road to recovery.