Mindfulness Training for Addiction Recovery
Mindfulness training is a practice that millions of people around the word engage in to enhance their lives. Something you may not know is that mindfulness is one of the best ways to help with long-term addiction recovery. Mindfulness is a simple practice that gives you a wide range of tools that allow you to live a better, sober life. There are three primary skills that you can improve naturally by regularly practicing mindfulness, which include:
- Concentration power
- Sensory clarity
- Equanimity
Mindfulness Training for Focus and Concentration
Many people who go through addiction therapy struggle with the ability to keep their attention where they want it. This is one of the reasons why many people with an addiction struggle with anxiety. Mindfulness helps train your brain to keep your attention where you want it, which gives you more control over your own mind. Concentration power is like a muscle in your mind. You have to constantly develop it. Practicing mindfulness is a way to help strengthen this muscle over time.
When practicing mindfulness, you’ll use different anchors like words you say in your mind when it starts to drift or other techniques like breathing. For example, a mindful breathing practice may simply be keeping your attention on your breath and noticing when your mind wanders. Each time your mind wanders, you gently bring your attention back to your breath. Over time, this begins to change processes in your brain, teaching it to stay in the present moment as often as possible.
Mindfulness Training for Sensory Clarity
It’s quite common for emotions to manifest as a result of a physical problem that people aren’t aware of. A great example of this is people who get angry when they’re hungry. The person may feel agitated, irritable and frustrated with everything when a simple snack can solve the problem. Mindfulness helps you begin to see that you can regulate your emotions by simply recognizing different sensations in your body.
This is also extremely important for your recovery. Over time, you’ll begin to see that thoughts and emotions pass. When people get cravings, they often feel as though these cravings are going to last forever. With mindfulness training, you begin to see that your cravings are simply a body sensation. Once you recognize this, the cravings are much easier to manage.
Equanimity Through Mindfulness Training
Reaching equanimity is the most important part of mindfulness for anyone who is trying to maintain sobriety. Equanimity is your relationship to your own thoughts and emotions, which many people struggle with. The mind is constantly in a state of either attraction or aversion. People with addictions experience these in extreme states. Generally, they either clutch onto the pleasurable feelings or try to push the negative ones as far away as possible.
By strengthening your equanimity, you’ll begin to see that you no longer need to push negative thoughts and emotions away. On the other hand, it’s important to ensure that your addiction doesn’t manifest in new ways now that you’re sober. Those with an addictive personality can quickly turn to something else if they don’t continue to regulate. With equanimity, your emotional regulation is more under control, and you can live a much better life.
1st Step Behavioral Health offers mindfulness training for addiction recovery in Pompano Beach, Florida. Through passionate care, this facility is able to help teach clients learn how to strengthen their recovery. You can find out more about 1st Step Behavioral Health by calling today at (855) 425-4846.
Take the First Step Today
We can help you get better. Contact us today to find out which program might be right for you, or to begin the process of arranging for treatment.
