The 12 Palms rehab blog publishes weekly addiction related articles directed to help and guide families and addicts on the addiction treatment and recovery.
When an individual is in the early months of addiction recovery, they often experience a kind of mental fuzziness. They may struggle to think clearly as their mind adjusts to life without substance abuse. This is also a time when their emotions are erratic. Those who fail to cope with these challenges in early recovery are more likely to relapse. Mindfulness meditation can be a great tool at all stages of sobriety. It gives people more control over their emotions and increases mental clarity.
Mindfulness meditation involves purposely paying attention to the present moment. It also involves being aware of thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they occur without being carried away by them. Mindfulness is a non-judgmental form of observation that involves three elements: awareness, attention and remembering. The individual needs to be aware of the object they wish to focus on. They then need to focus their attention on this object, and remember to keep it there.
Mindfulness increases a person’s ability to manage stress. This is because the It helps keep an individual focused on the present, without worrying about the future. Mindfulness helps people become more aware of the tendency of the mind to anticipate future problems; once this tendency is observed, it becomes easier to manage. A number of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness to reduce stress which is a contributing factor in many mental and physical diseases.
People who practice mindfulness meditation are far more aware of their own thoughts. This leads them to make much better decisions, as they begin to see that their emotions are transitory in nature; they come and go. Strong emotions are easier to manage when the person knows that they will pass.
At 12 Palms Recovery Center, we understand the immense benefits of mindfulness meditation, especially for individuals recovering from an addiction. We know that become sober and staying that way entails many challenges, and any tool that can help ensure a lasting recovery is of great value, which is why we teach mindfulness meditation to our clients.
Early recovery is like an emotional rollercoaster. By practicing mindfulness, the individual will feel more in control and better able to deal with the highs and lows. Also, cravings usually continue to arise in recovery, but mindfulness allows the individual to observe such thoughts without being carried away by them. People learn that they are not always responsible for their thoughts, nor do they have to be a victim to them.
People who practice mindfulness are also better able to spot the warning signs that they are losing their hold on recovery, and can take fast action to help avoid a relapse.
Those who practice mindfulness meditation also find it easier to manage their interpersonal relationships. This is particularly important for people in recovery, who may have many damaged relationships and need to tread carefully.
Mindfulness meditation makes life in sobriety far more enjoyable, because it allows an individual to find pleasure from even the simplest things. If you’d like to learn more about mindfulness meditation and how it can help lead you or a loved one back to sobriety and a lasting recovery from addiction, call 12 Palms Recovery Center today toll free at 1-866- 331-6779.
“If someone wants to get sober, this is a wonderful place to do it...12 Palms saved my life.”
— Fred
“When an addict is finally willing to admit that they are completely powerless over their addiction and need help recovering, they are left with a choice.”
