Meditation for Addiction Recovery

Meditation is a practice that involves mind exercising, focusing on achieving calmness. The state of mindfulness that can be achieved when meditating is characterised by a focus on the present-moment awareness, whilst observing feelings and present-centred awareness with a non-judgmental perception.

What does it mean?

When you are meditating, you can focus on the now and your present feelings and sensations, such as breathing and parts of the body, while letting go of any distractions that the mind may bring. On the other hand, open monitoring meditation may focus on thoughts, feelings, and sensations, but without fixating on any specific attention.

As mindfulness achievement may decrease behavioural and emotional tendencies, it can also help with substance and behavioural addictions, by promoting cognitive control and neurocognitive capacities. The cultivation of this cognitive control can help individuals to gain self-control over addiction, by increasing functional connectivity where the reward process and habit responses lay on the brain.

That said, we can say that many studies show that mindfulness meditation can help people restructure their reward responsiveness, reducing cravings, substance and behaviour abuse, as well as decreasing stress reactivity, which is increased when in addiction.

Meditation may also help individuals gain strength when it comes to preventing relapse as the knowledge and monitoring of their affective states of mind such as anger, stress, and sadness is increased and better controlled.

Mindful meditation may also help individuals to get a more restful sleep, which also helps with stress and anxiety, and therefore a calmer state of mind.

In summary, meditation can bring many benefits when it comes to addiction recovery. They include:

Reduced Stress and Anxiety: Meditation helps regulate the nervous system, leading to reduced stress and anxiety, which are common addiction triggers.

Improved Self-Awareness: By becoming more aware of your thoughts, body needs, and emotions, you can identify triggers and learn healthier coping mechanisms.

Greater Self-Control: Meditation increases cognitive control, helping individuals to resist cravings and manage addictive behaviours.

Reduced Cravings: Studies suggest that meditation can help restructure reward pathways in the brain, reducing cravings for substances or addictive behaviours.

Improved Sleep: Regular meditation can lead to better sleep quality, further promoting stress reduction and overall well-being.

Relapse Prevention: By increasing self-awareness of emotional states, meditation can help individuals manage negative emotions like anger or sadness, which can trigger relapse.

At New Leaf Recovery, we believe in the power of mindfulness meditation. We have a non-judgmental approach, focusing on each person's needs and guiding our patients to their unique requirements for the day. Our meditation therapy sessions incorporate meditation practices to help individuals:

Cultivate present-moment awareness: By focusing on their breath and bodily sensations, individuals can learn to observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Challenge negativity: Through meditation, individuals can break free from negative thought patterns and cultivate a more positive outlook.

Set realistic goals: By enhancing self-awareness, meditation can help individuals set achievable goals and track progress on their recovery journey.

This approach promotes a calmer, clearer mindset, allowing our clients at New Leaf to manage their thoughts, actions, and behaviours more effectively, also supporting their recovery from addiction.