Anyone who has dealt with substance abuse programs will know how serious these problems are. Getting (and staying clean) is an enormous challenge. What’s more, only a very small percentage of people actually stay sober. The unfortunate truth is that most people relapse over and over again before quitting for good. In addition to this, a certain percentage of addicts never get clean – and this is because they either die or carry on using for the rest of their lives.
The statistics back this up. According to experts, after the first year, addicts have between a 40-60% chance of relapsing. The harsh reality is that only a small percentage of people stay clean for the rest of their lives.
What this means is that you need to do everything possible to overcome your problems. It’s critical that you utilize every available tool which exists. You need to do all you can about this problem until it’s solved for good. One of the most powerful aids for overcoming addiction is something called mindfulness.
But what is mindfulness?
To put it simply, mindfulness is basically becoming aware of what is inside your head. Paying attention to the thoughts in your mind and how they affect your actions and feelings. It’s a type of meditation in which you become intensely aware of what you’re thinking and feeling in the present moment – instead of being caught up in your mind, and letting your thoughts run away.
This is important because much of the pain and suffering in our lives is caused by what we think. If you spend most of your time thinking, planning, daydreaming, or having negative thoughts, then there is very little time for anything else. In fact, you’re bound to be unhappy.
For example, many addicts spend their time feeling guilty about the past and what they may have done. Otherwise they feel guilty about their actions or remorseful about the time they have wasted. It’s these negative feelings which often trigger a relapse.
Mindfulness is often associated with meditation. But while they are similar there are clear differences. Mediation is essentially the way you train yourself in being mindful. You can think of mediation as lifting weights, and mindfulness as using that strength to lift heavy objects. Practicing mindfulness and meditation has many benefits for addicts. For example, there are three ways that mindfulness can help you.
- Mindfulness slows your mind down
One of the biggest benefits of mindfulness is that it slows things down. You learn to still the thoughts which endlessly race through your mind. In this way mindfulness can mimic the state of bliss and stillness which people often use drugs to achieve.
- Mindfulness helps you notice new sensory experiences
Many people, especially addicts, are often numb to their senses. With mindfulness you will start to notice things again. You will become aware of the many sensory experiences which are present in our day to day lives. In turn, this will help you develop a deeper sense of inner peace and stillness.
- Mindfulness helps you notice the reactivity of your mind
The truth is that we are always reacting to things with a variety of thoughts and emotions. This can be either good or bad. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic you are likely to feel angry. This can lead to other negative feelings which may trigger a relapse.
Mindfulness helps you notice these patterns and put a stop to them. You will start to notice how you react to things and will not get attached to your negative reactions. By doing this you can begin allowing these reactions to arise and then pass away. They will no longer control your behaviour.
And while this whole mindfulness thing might seem a bit abstract, these benefits are actually proven by science. According to a study published in the journal of Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, it was found that practicing mindfulness can significantly reduce cravings, and is an effective treatment for addiction. It has been proven to work for a wide variety of addictions. This includes things like drinking, smoking, prescription opioids, and also cocaine and heroin. If you want to begin practicing mindfulness here are a few things you can do.
- Start by becoming more observant: Pay closer attention to what is going on in your mind and in your life.
- Next, observe your feelings: Take note of how you are feeling in each particular moment.
- Then observe your thoughts: Notice how they seem to arise automatically and without you actually doing anything.
- Focus on what is happening: Become highly aware of what is happening at the present moment. Observe what is going on around you and what is happening with your thoughts and feelings. Focus on one thing at a time and what is going on at the present moment. Do not think about the future or past.
- Practice non judgement: Finally, accept everything as it happens. Do not judge what is currently happening in your life. Do not judge the thoughts or feelings you are presently experiencing.
Ultimately, the power of mindfulness is that it allows you to have greater control over your actions. Every action we take first starts as a thought. This is absolutely true. We do not simply do something. We think about it first, mull it over and ruminate upon it. Think back over your struggle with addiction. There were probably times when you were clean and then relapsed. But what made you use it again? It was more than likely thought of using.
These thoughts may have started off gradually, but over time they became more and more incessant until finally you gave in and relapsed. After this you may have gotten sober again, only to relapse later. This is a process which happens over and over again for addicts, and it’s why they very seldom overcome their addictions.
By practicing mindfulness you gain the ability to interrupt this process. Instead of being a slave to your thoughts you learn to control and channel them in the direction that you want to go – not in the direction that they force you. Ultimately, this will prove to be a great help in recovering from your addiction.
