Addiction: A Worldwide Condition
Addiction is a disease of the brain, and can be found all throughout the world. Anyone, rich, poor or in between can be at risk to develop an addiction to substances such as drugs and alcohol. There have been many methods of treatment for people with substance use disorders over the years, with some more effective than others. One of the newer methods in the treatment world includes mindfulness and meditation activities, in addition to talk therapy and support groups.
What is Meditation?
The word meditation comes from the Latin word Meditatum, which means “to ponder.” Meditation requires focusing the breath into slow, controlled breaths and calming the mind to focus on the present moment. It encourages the letting go of negative and harmful thoughts and the judgment of self and others.
It’s believed that Meditation began several thousands of years ago in India as part of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. As it spread to India’s neighboring countries, many religions adopted it into their belief systems, and it became a common practice among them. Most religions took aspects of meditation and used it as part of their prayers, such as Judaism, which developed what is now known as Jewish Meditation. As time moved on, it eventually became popular within the Western hemisphere in the 1800’s, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What are some of the Benefits of Meditation?
In the Hindu religion, meditation is used to connect with the source of everything in the Universe. In Buddhism, the goal is to quiet the mind of all thoughts, and in secular practices, it’s a way to focus the mind and reduce the stresses of everyday life. Learning about Buddhism, which is a religion and way of life, can be helpful for those in addiction recovery who are looking to discover or rediscover a spiritual connection.
Studies have shown that meditation not only reduces stress, but also increases the gray matter in the brain that manages learning, self-awareness, introspection and memory while decreasing the gray matter that has to do with anxiety and stress. This means that some of the benefits from practicing meditation include being better able to handle stressful situations and increasing your learning ability and memory. It’s also been shown to boost one’s mood to be happier and more positive and, on brain scans, has shown to help people achieve slower and calmer brain waves.
How is Meditation Used Today in Recovery?
Many rehab centers for drug and alcohol recovery now include yoga and meditation as part of therapy, and mindfulness techniques such as controlling the breath and focusing one’s thoughts are common techniques taught to help people through stressful situations or anxiety attacks.
Yoga combined with meditation has proven to be one of the more effective practices, as it combines the introspection and thoughtfulness of meditation with the physical acts of stretching, balancing and learning to trust one’s own body.
Meditation has shown to be very beneficial to those in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions by calming the mind and teaching new coping mechanisms for stressful situations. It should not take the place of talk therapy, but it can act as a supplement to it. If you find yourself wanting to experience more peace of mind in life, or are looking for new ways to better manage stress, daily meditation may be just the thing.
