How can mindfulness practices boost your recovery from addiction?
What is mindfulness?
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is the practice of being dynamically conscious of your feelings in the present time, staying impartial, and contemplating them without judgment.
Studies show that mindfulness behaviors can truly reformat our brain in positive ways, recovering physical and mental health, and stimulating overall well-being. It can help soothe stress, provide greater self-awareness, and help us recognize and manage feelings that may not be rooted in reality.
Also, integrating mindfulness exercises into treatment is particularly helpful for those who struggle with addiction to alcohol, drugs, or other unhealthy, destructive behaviors.
Boost your recovery with mindfulness exercises
Here are four mindfulness practices that you can incorporate into your treatment and really give your recovery from addiction a boost.
- Be in the present. We have all done it, sat in a meeting, gone to lunch with a friend, or spending time with the family, yet we have been 1,000 miles away. Usually, we are stressing out about something or distracted by our technology at that moment when we should be in the here and now. It seems that we go through life on auto-pilot, never realizing how time is speeding by or recognizing what is going on around us, the beauty of nature, or even realizing our own potential to be a better person. How it supports and boosts recovery is by being present, we learn to cope with the feelings and reality as it truly is not how we perceive it to be or worse yet run away from it. Traditional exercises you can use to help you practice this every day is Yoga. A simple activity is to notice what you feel when touching something, the taste of food, the feel of the sun on your face, perceiving the little things will ground you in the present, and boost your recovery.
- Be still and learn to recognize your emotions and feelings so that you can deal with them in the present and learn ways to reduce your risk of relapse from triggers. Learn your personal triggers and ways to cope with them, understanding that your thoughts are actually your thoughts and what you can do to work through stress, anxiety, panic, or even fear without relapsing.
- Become more compassionate for what others are going through. Recovery groups help with learning compassion for someone else’s trials as you listen, you realize first, that you are not alone, and second, someone else’s journey may be worse than your own.
- Mindfulness allows you to be present to enjoy the life you are living; it can help you enjoy sober living and boost your recovery.
449 Recovery offers many therapies, a detox program, and a clean, safe environment for your recovery. Call us today (855) 435-7449 to learn more about our treatments and after treatment programs that include referrals to a sober living home to help you adjust to life in recovery.