The Benefits of Meditation During Addiction Recovery

For individuals who are in the early stages of recovery, clear thinking may be a challenge. Thinking and even existing without substance abuse can be drastically different as the body and brain both learn to operate without those foreign toxins in the way. For those who have just recently detoxed, emotions and feelings may seem erratic and unexplainable at times. Although the helpful technique of mindfulness meditation is often introduced to clients in the early stages of recovery, it is a highly effective positive coping mechanism for every level of sobriety. This type of meditation is deal for increasing control over one’s emotions and gaining mental clarity.

The purpose of mindfulness meditation is to pay attention to the moment at present. There are three main aspects to the exercise: awareness, attention, and remembering. Those who are practicing must be aware of what they are choosing to focus on, concentrate their attention on the object, and remember to keep it there. For those who practice mindfulness, it has a positive effect on managing stress, which is a main contributing factor to many physical and mental diseases, including addiction. Not only does it allow people to gain freedom from their typical negative thought patterns, but it also conditions people to become much more aware of what is happening within their own bodies and minds.

When it comes to mindfulness meditation, there are four common techniques that are often practiced by those who are on a path of recovery:

Walking Meditation – This process involves giving complete attention to the exercise of walking.
Mindful Eating – This technique requires paying total attention to the process of eating. This can be especially helpful for those who are recovering from eating disorders.
Moving Meditation – Examples of this technique would be yoga or tai chi.
Traditional Meditation – For this type of meditation, the individual must focus on their breath or another action. Buddhism offers 10 recommended objects to focus on during this time.

Throughout traditional meditation, the mind will regularly stray away from focusing on breathing. This is completely normal. It should bring the meditator joy to realize that he or she noticed the slip of focus. The job of the meditator is now to bring their attention back to the object or action of focus. Those who continue to practice mindfulness meditation tend to be much more aware of his or her own thoughts. This is what leads them to make better life decisions and positive choices. People dealing with fuzzy or muddled thinking often make poor decisions that can end up negatively affecting their lives.

Right Path Drug Rehab offers all of our clients the opportunity to incorporate meditation into their personalized addiction recovery plans. Call one of our helpful intake coordinators today to learn more about our dual diagnosis drug rehab center.