Every recovering addict knows that some days are more difficult to get through than others. You just need a little something to help get you through.
One thing that really works well is meditation. Meditation can be a source of great peace on those days when you fear a relapse the most. Here’s why it works so well.
Meditation Reduces the Stress that Threatens Your Sobriety
Stress is one of the most common triggers of relapse out there, and finding a way to keep it under control can be the key to staying sober. Meditation helps by helping you get into a deep state of relaxation, and as researchers at Johns Hopkins University found, that reduces stress.
When you meditate, your brain releases neurotransmitters that help regulate your mood, ease tension, and promote relaxation. These include chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, which help promote your overall well-being as they counteract the physical effects of stress.
Meditation Promotes Self-Awareness and Acceptance
Meditation also teaches you how to focus your mind and become more aware of your body and the various sensations you’re experiencing. That can help you really get at the root of your addiction cravings and understand them in a way that gives you more control over them.
As you become more aware of your feelings and physical sensations, you also learn to be more accepting of who you are and why you’re the way you are. With self-awareness and self-acceptance comes self-compassion and self-love, the very things many addicts have never experienced.
Meditation Helps You Stay the Course
Meditation helps you stick to your sobriety plan by giving you the means to slow life down and focus on the details. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re trying to change your life in such a huge way, and meditation can help you take it one step at a time.
Meditation also helps you stay mindful of the progress you make each day. By appreciating the minor milestones, you soon find you’re achieving some major goals.
Meditation Helps You Stay Grounded in the Present Moment
Meditation brings you solidly into the present moment. Most addicts live in a painful past, and they project that pain endlessly into their future. But meditation brings you into the present moment and helps you see that you’re not your past.
Right now, you’re right where you need to be, and right now, there are no fires to put out. When you can work through those struggling sobriety days one present moment at a time, it’s easier to stay sober. You realize that you don’t have to live in the past anymore. You can ground yourself in the present, sober moment.
The Sober Sidekick Connection
One of the most important things that meditation can do for you is to make you feel connected to something greater than yourself. That’s what Sober Sidekick is all about, too, connections.
Together, we are stronger and can get through those tough times. With features like 24/7 virtual AA meetings and a network of over 150,000 sobriety partners, you can make the connections that will keep you strong. Download the app today and get started on your sobriety journey!
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