The Importance of Mindfulness When Treating Addiction

Addiction encompasses more than just substance use. Its impacts extend across various aspects of a person's life. Prolonged substance use affects physical health and can prevent the proper functioning of organs. Additionally, it takes a toll on mental health, leading to conditions like anxiety, depression, and sometimes even PTSD. Moreover, addiction disrupts work, home life, and relationships.

Just as addiction involves more than substance use, its treatment also entails a multifaceted approach. Recovery goes beyond mere abstinence and necessitates addressing various factors. Mindfulness, in particular, plays a crucial role in addiction treatment and shouldn't be overlooked.

Mindfulness and Addiction Go Hand In Hand

In recent years, mindfulness has garnered widespread attention, permeating popular culture through the channels of social media and beyond. At its core, mindfulness encapsulates the timeless wisdom of being fully present. Through the practice of mindfulness, individuals enter a transformative journey of self-discovery, awareness, and insight of the interconnectedness.

The virtues of mindfulness extend far beyond mere buzzwords, offering a myriad of benefits. Among its many gifts, mindfulness serves as a steadfast companion in navigating the tumultuous waters of anxiety, depression, and the complexities of emotional turmoil.

The Brain Is A Complex Organ

There are many misconceptions about how the brain works. One of the biggest ones is that after a certain age, the brain stops growing. Many people believe this to mean that the brain cannot change. However, what this refers to is the actual size of the brain. The human brain has many moving components that interact with one another, including pathways and neurons. While wired into our brains, these pathways and neurons can be rewired.

So, while the human brain may not grow in size, its ability to heal, transform, and grow in its own understanding of itself is profound.

When someone is battling with an addiction, their brain has been “trained/wired” to react in a certain way, which is how habits form. Mindfulness helps to counteract the old pathways and reshape the brain to form healthier habits.

Mindfulness Techniques for Addiction

You can take away addictive substances from a person. You can change their environment, so they no longer have easy access to them. While these are often beneficial steps, more should be done to increase one’s chances and to keep someone on the road to recovery. Without trying to reshape the brain itself, and without changing behavioral patterns, we often find that the substance user will, unfortunately, find their way back to using.

Remember their brain was hardwired to turn to addictive substances as a coping mechanism.

1. Be Present

The center of mindfulness is being present in one’s life. As humans, we are hardwired now to always look toward the future, to worry about the next step, next task, or possible outcomes we are faced with. The brain is designed to forward think just as the nose is designed to smell and the eyes intention is to see.

Many addicts turn to substances because they are looking for an escape from the anxieties and stress that everyday life causes. Like the rest of us, they just want to turn everything off for a while. Being in the present moment and focusing only on the here and now can help a person cope with reality and the stress from life easier.

2. Recognize Negative Thoughts

We all have that inner critic in our heads. Telling us that we aren’t good enough, that we’re bound to mess up, and that the world has to be against us. Mindfulness teaches us to recognize these thoughts for what they are — thoughts and not reality.

By recognizing when your brain is out to get you, so to speak, can help someone to find healthier ways to cope rather than just turning to substance abuse.

3. Counseling

Yes, counseling is an important mindfulness technique. Because of how complex addiction is, it’s important to treat it from all angles. At Recovery Collective, we are trained to help our clients take a holistic approach to addiction treatment with individual-tailored treatment options.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please reach out to us to learn more about addiction counseling.

If you’re worried about the upcoming season, understand that you don’t have to go through it alone. Leaning on your support system or attending a group is a wonderful way to stay on track. But, if you’re struggling with triggers, addiction counseling can help you. Feel free to contact me. Together, we’ll work through an effective strategy that can help you to stay sober through the holidays, so you can start the new year on the right track. 

We also have a podcast that covers the topic of addiction and meditation. Please listen as you might find it helpful.