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Where Does Mindfulness Fit into Addiction Recovery?

woman practices mindfulness through meditation

Are human brains are hardwired to seek out potential obstacles, and that’s why we often struggle with issues like anxiety and stress. Even in addiction recovery, we may find ourselves feeling uncertain about how we’ll navigate this new path towards healing. The journey itself is so unpredictable, and sometimes worrying thoughts can hold us back in taking steps forward – steps that would be monumental for growth. If you’re tired of feeling constantly stressed, constantly anxious and constantly worried, it’s time that you do something about it. Mindfulness is a highly effective approach that gives us a different way of connecting with our thoughts – and many people find that through practicing mindfulness, they’re better able to distance themselves from thoughts that really aren’t that beneficial to them. According to the University of Minnesota, psychologist Scott Bishop – an expert on mindfulness – once described mindfulness as, “…a non-elaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, sensation that arises…is acknowledged and accepted as it is.” For those who haven’t practiced mindfulness often, this different way of connecting with thoughts can seem strange. How can we simply “accept” or otherwise acknowledge thoughts that bring us so much distress? The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley denotes that it’s not about “liking” the thoughts that come to mind – it’s about letting them come and go, almost as if you were an observer to the various messages your mind conjures up. If we can simply watch our thoughts come and go, and focus in on how we’re feeling in the present moment rather than become indulged in what those messages are telling us, we’ll experience a lot less suffering. Those in addiction recovery can greatly benefit from this as previous research has proven that mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and more.

Arbor Behavioral Healthcare offers an integrative and holistic approach to treat substance abuse and a wide variety of addictions, as well as underlying mental health and psychological issues. All of the addiction recovery programs offered by The Arbor are designed to heal the mind, body, and spirit leading to a lifetime of sobriety, health and wellness. If you’re ready to find healing and restoration in a peaceful, loving environment, please call us today at 844-560-7269.