Your loved one has finally entered addiction recovery and you couldn’t be prouder. But in the back of your mind, there’s a concern creeping its way to the front. Recovery and sobriety come with a new set of challenges for your loved one to overcome. Will they be able to find balance in their new sober lifestyle? And is there anything you can do to help?

Before your loved one reached recovery, you noticed there were some days where they were so overwhelmed with everyday life that alcohol or drugs was the only way they could cope. Recovery can present a similar challenge, and you’re left wishing your loved one had a reset button. A way to clear off the negative thoughts and emotions swirling inside of them, so they could have a little more balance in their life.

Instead of you wishing the time away, hoping their recovery moves forward, there’s something you can do to support them. In this blog post, we’re going to show you show of the way mediation can help your loved one’s recovery.

What is Meditation, Anyway?

Take a minute and imagine what comes to mind when you think of meditation. Maybe you think it’s a simple way people check in with themselves. But others might see it as some mystical art that an action hero uses to become more powerful.

The point is, people have their own preconceived thoughts on meditation. But what is meditation?

Meditation is the practice of focus and mindfulness. Think of it as a way to train your mind to block out distractions so you can be more aware of your thoughts and emotions. Have you ever witnessed a scenic view and felt as if time stood still just for a second? That’s the feeling meditation is trying to capture.

The Connection Between Addiction Recovery and Meditation

Now that you have a better idea of what meditation is, you might be wondering how it can help your loved one in recovery. When you’re in recovery, it can be easy to fall into a mental trap; The trap of spending all your time waiting for the next breakthrough, whether it’s a new job, relationship or milestone.

It’s easy for people in recovery to convince themselves that they won’t be happy or fulfilled until that goal is met. The problem is, once you reach that goal, your mind moves the finish line farther down the road. And just like that, your loved one is trapped in this line of thinking that their life isn’t good enough.

Meditation helps your loved one fight back against that feeling. It can teach us to accept and even cherish the present moment in front of us.

3 Ways Meditation Benefits Substance Abuse Recovery

1. Meditation Reduces Stress and Anxiety

When your loved one is in addiction recovery, you might be worried about the possibility of a relapse. For many people in recovery, relapse is a result of feeling like life is unmanageable. And unfortunately, some in recovery go back to drugs or alcohol to cope. Excess stress and anxiety can be a real challenge for anyone in recovery.

But meditation can help. Meditation can give your loved one more opportunity to confront their negative thoughts in a constructive way. Think about it as getting some extra perspective. And by catching these negative thoughts and emotions earlier through meditation, they are less likely to snowball and cause larger issues.

2. Your Loved One Can Boost Their Self Awareness

Another benefit of meditation for addiction recovery is greater self-awareness. Your loved one is juggling a variety of thoughts and emotions through recovery. And having a better understanding of themselves can help them identify negative or harmful thoughts before they spiral out of control.

The idea is that as they practice meditation more often, they will learn how to better focus their attention on positive thoughts that can move their recovery in a healthy direction. And having a higher sense of self-awareness can even help them feel less isolated and lonely.

A recent study showed that a meditation program helped them feel less lonely compared to a control group. And in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) with social distancing and stay-at-home orders, feeling less lonely can go a long way.

3. Meditation Can Improve Attention Span

Whether it’s due to technology or all the entertainment we have available, we’re all guilty of having a short attention span at times. And for your loved one in recovery, improving their attention span can help them stay focused on their recovery journey.

There’s a reason that meditation is often thought of as exercise for your attention span: It’s the act of taking some time each day to block out distractions and focus on yourself. Your loved one can directly apply this skill to their recovery. Whether it’s focusing more during a 12-step meeting or diving into a hobby to stay busy, meditation can help increase their attention span and keep them focused on something other than addiction cravings.

Find Balance for Your Loved One and for Yourself

If your loved one is currently suffering from a substance abuse disorder or has recently relapsed, there is hope for lasting recovery. At Footprints Beachside Recovery, we know what your loved one is going through because we’ve been there ourselves. Our addiction treatment program is focused on treating the whole person rather than just the addiction.

Our luxury addiction treatment center in Florida offers a full continuum of care to help your loved one restore their life. We’ve even added virtual IOP services to make it even more convenient for your loved one to get the expert support they need. Together, we can help your loved one get back to their authentic self. Contact our team today to get started.