If you or a loved one are recovering from addiction, you already know that intense emotions and cravings can be difficult to manage. Fortunately, various tools and skills can aid you in your recovery journey. Additionally, meditation may need to be combined with other evidence-based treatments, such as contingency management, to address the multifaceted nature of addiction.
Clinical application of mindfulness intervention mechanisms for substance use disorder and relapse prevention
Research is needed to test the comparative effectiveness of brief versus extended MBIs and the relative cost-effectiveness of these models. Yet, the emerging global emphasis on integrative health supports a holistic approach toward wellness by providing treatment for psychiatric and SUDs in community-based medical settings. MBIs, in brief and extended formats, may be uniquely suited to this therapeutic context, and in time, may become mainstays of addiction treatment. Meditation is highly effective for addiction recovery, serving as a powerful complementary therapy for treating substance use disorders. Studies show that people who meditate regularly during recovery experience reduced cravings and improved treatment outcomes, making it an increasingly valued tool addiction meditation in addiction treatment programs. A systematic review and meta-analysis by Zgierska et al., (2009) found that mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced substance use, cravings, and relapse rates compared to control conditions in individuals with substance use disorders.
- Often, a meditation instructor selects a mantra to allow you to achieve mindfulness and spiritual experience.
- All meditation involves being mindful (or present in the moment), but mindfulness meditation emphasizes this.
- For example, meditation can aid in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) by reinforcing the focus on one’s behavior.
- One strength of mindfulness is that you can practice it anywhere and at any time.
- Practicing meditation regularly allows individuals to tap into a state of serenity, fostering a calm mind and a relaxed body.
Commit to a Regular Practice
However, the first step is to verify that the rehab facility accepts your insurance. You can contact an admissions navigator at , and they will verify your benefits. Of the APF survey respondents, 75% reported emotional changes since the beginning of the pandemic, especially increased worry (62%), sadness (51%), fear (51%), and loneliness (42%). The mental clarity that comes from the practice of meditation makes it easier for addicts to make healthy choices that support their recovery. As cravings continue to arise, especially in early recovery, individuals can observe their thoughts and desires without having to act on them. Recovering addicts learn that they are not responsible for their thoughts, but they are responsible for how they react to those thoughts.
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Foster a nonjudgmental, compassionate approach toward ourselves and our experiences. Addiction limited our ability to connect with others in any meaningful way. Compassion strengthens our ability to build healthy, healing relationships that positively affect our inner emotions.
Addiction and Mental Health Resources
Ready to take your recovery from alcohol and drug addiction to a whole new level? Practice being mindful with these tried-and-true activities recommended by recovery expert and author Beverly Conyers—they might be just what you’re looking for. Furthermore, through consistent practice, meditation cultivates enhanced self-awareness. This heightened awareness is invaluable, enabling individuals to recognize triggers and patterns of addictive behavior, thereby fostering better self-control and decision-making.
Why Do You Need Mindfulness and Meditation in Recovery?
To prevent relapse, individuals may be able to use mindfulness to cultivate an awareness of when substance use habits are triggered by substance cues even after an extended period of abstinence. For instance, monitoring their affective state, and knowing that increased stress, despair, or anger increases relapse risk, the individual may use mindfulness to contemplate the reasons they want to maintain their recovery. Consider an opioid-misusing chronic pain patient who used opioids to self-medicate depression and loneliness. After using mindfulness skills to successfully titrate off opioids with the help of her primary care provider, she began exercise therapy which she found helped with her pain and social isolation. One day she has a fall, which landed her in the emergency room with a broken ankle.
