Relapse Prevention: Learning to Use Mindfulness After Treatment

Going to addiction treatment when you’re struggling with a dependence to drugs or alcohol is the best thing you can do, but the real work starts once you leave. While you’re in treatment, it’s somewhat easy to stay clean and sober. Although it may be difficult to fight your cravings sometimes, you’re in a safe place while you’re in drug rehab.

In treatment, you’ll be learning a variety of different methods to recognize and deal with triggers, but it’s a different story once you transition back into the real world. Recently, mindfulness has been a topic of interest when it comes to relapse prevention, and it’s helping many people maintain their sobriety.

WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?

Mindfulness is all about recognizing thoughts, emotions and feelings in the present moment. The idea of mindfulness was inspired by the Buddhist tradition of meditating. When people meditate, they’re not focused on the past or the future, but they’re staying in the moment of right now and only thinking about what’s currently happening throughout their mind and body.

Many people feel that spirituality and meditation isn’t for them, but science has recently proven that mindfulness through meditation and spirituality actually increases brain function. It enables people to be completely aware, and it’s being used in all aspects of peoples’ lives.

MINDFULNESS AND RELAPSE PREVENTION

When Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in the 1930s, the fellowship encouraged people to try to find a higher power through prayer and meditation. These methods are used in all 12-step programs as a form of relapse prevention, and now it’s been shown by science to help.

Those who leave treatment can use mindfulness as a form of relapse prevention when they are triggered. Cravings to use often lead to the impulsive decision to pick up a drink or a drug. Mindfulness helps with relapse prevention because you’ll be able to take a pause when you have a craving or impulse to use. When you’re mindful of the situation, you take the time to recognize what your mind is doing and how your body is feeling, which allows you to work through it without having to follow through with the action of drinking or drug abuse.

Mindfulness is one of the many ways you can prevent relapse once you complete treatment. If you’re currently struggling with an addiction to alcohol or drugs, allow us to help you begin your journey on the road toward freedom from active addiction. Call Freedom From Addiction today at 1-866-319-6124 for more information.