When you think of meditation, you might imagine a person sitting in the lotus position chanting as part of a mysterious new age activity. Actually, meditation is often used to help people overcome substance use disorders. Buckhead Behavioral Health offers meditation for addiction as part of our treatment plans to help maximize your ability to overcome drug and alcohol addiction. Meditation is part of an overall series of outpatient programs that include other helpful therapies designed to help people improve their physical and mental health.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a practice developed thousands of years ago and used to help people improve their minds, mental health, physical health, and overall well-being. Different types of meditation can be used and can include a combination of mental and physical techniques. Each type of meditation is meant to clear a person’s mind so they can focus on a specific thought, emotion, reaction, or other goal. Meditation is practiced in many religions and is also used as a secular tool by many people.
People use meditation to achieve things like relaxation, reduced anxiety, and to feel like they have centered their minds and bodies. To an outsider, a person practicing meditation may appear to be simply sitting still, breathing, or repeating a word or phrase. Actually, those who practice the art of meditating are able to positively impact their thoughts and emotions and focus on a goal.
Benefits of Using Meditation for Addiction
Many people use meditation to help improve their physical help. For those in recovery from substance use disorders, meditation for addiction can be used to help a person focus on staying sober. When someone in recovery from addiction experiences withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and difficulty sleeping, this affects their nervous systems. Holistic strategies such as meditation help to calm a person and, in turn, positively impacts their nervous system. Meditation for addiction can also provide the following benefits:
- Reduced stress
- Improved ability to concentrate
- Reduced risk of relapsing
- Fewer symptoms of Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS)
- Better sleep patterns
- Improvement in overall mood
- Reduced symptoms of PTSD and ADHD
- Increased creativity
- More flexibility
Which Type of Meditation is Right For Me?
What type of meditation for addiction you choose depends on your goals. Each one involves a different type of focus, but they all can be used to help you stay in recovery and be better able to live a permanently sober life. The different types of meditation include:
Mindfulness Meditation
The person focuses their full attention on being present in the moment. They allow their mind to acknowledge their feelings and thoughts without assigning judgment to them or acting on them. Breathing deeply during this process allows the individual to develop stronger concentration skills.
Guided Meditation
The person is guided through this type of meditation by someone who instructs them on using visualization exercises. The individual keeps their eyes closed while using their imagination to help facilitate feelings of peace, joy, and connection. The goal is to become more connected to how the person feels, thinks, and reacts.
Breathing Meditation
The person closes their eyes and concentrates on their breathing patterns. Focusing on inhaling and exhaling for specific amounts of time helps relax their muscles and focus their mind. Many people use it to reduce anxiety or when having a panic attack.
Moving Meditation
This type of meditation does not require a person to sit still but rather to engage in meaningful movement. It can be done indoors or in a peaceful outdoor environment, such as a park or near water. The movement should be gentle in nature, such as walking, gardening, or doing yoga. Focusing on the movements and being aware of how the body moves has great benefits.
Transcendental Meditation
Also known as mantra meditation, the person chooses a word, phrase, or sound and repeats it either silently or out loud while meditating. This helps reduce stress, provide relaxation, and achieve clarity of thought.
Focused Meditation
While much of meditation involves not focusing on something specific, focused meditation requires the person to choose one of their five senses to be a focal point. It can be something like the sight of a fire lit in a fireplace, the sound of a musical instrument, or the aroma of a scented candle. This helps people improve their focus and regulate their emotions.
Spiritual Meditation
This is used to help people feel more connected to their spiritual higher power or the universe. It helps reduce stress, clear the mind, and awaken a connection to a person’s spiritual side.
Begin Meditation for Addiction Treatment in Atlanta, GA
Meditation isn’t just an activity people use as a hobby. In fact, meditation for addiction can be a powerful tool when it comes to overcoming substance use disorders. Buckhead Behavioral Health offers meditation as part of our outpatient programs in order to help people discover their own power to center themselves. When used in conjunction with other types of therapy, meditation can be a real game-changer. When a person feels less anxiety and the ability to control their thoughts and actions, they make better decisions when it comes to avoiding relapse.
For more information about how we can help you overcome addiction, visit our admissions page today. We can show you how to hit the restart button on your life.
