Staying grounded is imperative for recovery. Living in the present, taking in your surroundings, being aware of triggers…it’s all part of staying grounded. But did you know those are all mindful practices?
Yes, that’s right, mindfulness isn’t some unreachable state made up of complex thought exercises. It’s simply about gaining awareness of the current moment. Mindfulness is for everyone.
So, how can you use mindfulness as part of your recovery journey? Let’s dive into the types of mindfulness, the many benefits, and how you can integrate it into your daily routine.
Understanding Recovery and the Role of Mindfulness
No recovery journey looks the same.
Some people battle mild alcohol dependency, and seek outpatient support services. Others are navigating a severe addiction, and have benefitted from residential alcohol rehab, an alcohol detox, and self-help groups. Then there are people who haven’t yet opened up about their substance use, and are struggling to manage it alone.
Regardless of the path you are on, mindfulness can play a healing role by:
Reducing stress:
Focusing on the present may seem like the most stressful thing you could do in alcohol addiction recovery. However, as we get used to taking in the present moment, fears subside, and we end up feeling less stressed overall. Even if you avoid your dark thoughts, they’re still there. Mindfulness encourages you to address the challenging aspects of recovery head-on, which helps you to let go of what you cannot control.
Preventing relapse:
Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) helps those with alcohol use issues to accept their cravings and withdrawals, making them less likely to relapse. Cravings are a normal part of recovery, and there’s no better way to learn that than sitting with the sensation of craving, and recognising that it will eventually fade if you don’t give in. MBRP builds a huge amount of resilience over time.
Supporting emotional regulation:
Just like cravings can be acknowledged and accepted, so can emotions. When you get used to sitting with your emotions, you find it easier to pause before reacting, which can be transformative for relationships, mental health, and self-esteem.
The Core Components of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is made up of intention, attention, and attitude. These are also known as the three axioms of mindfulness.
Intention:
For those with addiction, the intention behind mindfulness is extremely powerful. It’s important to remind yourself of these intentions on a regular basis, in order to hold onto the value of mindfulness. Whilst the overarching goal is often “to stay sober”, think about your specific reasons for being mindful. Perhaps you want to feel more connected to your friends, develop more gratitude for your recovery, or learn how to tackle certain triggers mindfully.
Attention:
Mindfulness involves paying attention to how you feel and what’s going on around you. We miss so many cues by being disconnected from our bodies, but mindfulness draws us back in. Being able to make decisions based on what your body is telling you is a game-changer for recovery. Self-care becomes a priority, which leads to greater confidence, contentment, and balance.
Attitude:
Our attitude towards mindfulness is key. It’s no good being aware of your sadness, but judging yourself for it, or noticing the present moment, but focusing on everything you would change about it. Mindfulness teaches us to harbour a positive attitude. We focus on what’s good, helping us notice more of what’s good, and the healthy cycle continues.
Daily Mindful Practices for Staying Grounded in Recovery
Mindful daily tasks:
Did you know you can be mindful when making your bed, brushing your teeth, and eating dinner as a family? Mindfulness isn’t about shutting out your everyday life, it’s about being present while you do everything you would normally do. Noticing how your body feels as you take eat bite of food, and stopping when you feel full, is the perfect example of how mindfulness translates into healthy habits.
Emotion naming:
Struggling to know how we feel is very common, and emotion naming is a way to combat this. Once you know which emotion you’re experiencing, you can reflect on the best way to deal with it. For instance, let’s say you’re feeling disappointed in yourself for relapsing. As soon as you accept this is the emotion you’re feeling, you can introduce positive self-talk, set a new sobriety goal, reach out for extra support, and talk to others who have dealt with a similar feeling of disappointment.
Body scan:
We keep discussing “noticing how your body feels”, but what does this really mean? Body scans involve focusing on one body part at a time, and recognising any sensations you feel. Most people do this from head to toe, to make sure they don’t miss anything. As repressed emotions often show up physically in recovery, this allows you to recognise how you feel before it dysregulates you.
Mindful movement:
Every time you move, whether it’s going for a walk or taking part in a sport, you can choose to be mindful. With time, you’ll associate the activity with mindfulness, and being in the present moment as you move will become second nature.
Digital mindfulness:
Being mindful doesn’t have to lead to a digital detox; there are ways to be mindful while still enjoying social media. Ever heard of intentional scrolling? Think about why you’re reaching for your phone, whether you could do something else instead, and how you feel before and after scrolling. If you notice some negative patterns, that’s information you can use to adjust your online habits.
Supporting Others in Recovery with Mindful Presence
Mindfulness doesn’t have to be a lonely activity. In fact, it’s a great way to build and maintain relationships in addiction recovery.
Here are some tips for using mindfulness to connect:
- Integrate mindfulness into your catch-ups
- Listen to your loved ones before thinking of your response
- Hold each other accountable for mindful habits, e.g., digital mindfulness
Creating a Personalised Mindfulness Routine
Let’s get practical. How can you craft a personalised mindfulness routine that fits into your life? Consider:
Timing:
It’s generally recommended to start with mindfulness once a day. That being said, it’s better to do it once a week than not at all. Don’t worry; you don’t need to spend hours a week working on becoming more mindful. A simple 5-10 minutes can work wonders to begin with, and you can slowly increase this as it gets easier and more enjoyable.
In terms of the time of day, it’s whatever works best for you. Many people in recovery are already using their mornings or evenings to journal, meditate, or go on walks, so you may want to integrate a short mindfulness exercise into your morning or evening routine.
Exercises:
Start with a nice and easy activity to avoid feeling overwhelmed. You could practise mindful eating every time you have dinner, do some mindful breathing for five minutes each morning, or try a body scan every time you brush your teeth.
Tailoring:
It’s no good going through the mindful motions if they aren’t working for you. Tailoring your plan is the best way to get results out of mindfulness. For instance, if you’re in alcohol rehab and struggling to find the time for a mindful activity, ask your therapist if you can incorporate mindfulness into your sessions, or practise being mindful while detoxing.
Those with a history of trauma may want to adapt activities that induce anxiety. This can look like practising mindfulness with a loved one or therapist, or keeping eyes open during activities.
Whatever your individual needs, you can make mindfulness work for you.
Conclusion
Mindfulness is about anchoring yourself to the present, rather than being tethered to the past or future. With the right adaptations, it can be easily integrated into anyone’s recovery journey.
From mindful walks to body scans, we can all try out mindful techniques to deal with the ongoing challenges of recovery and increase our chances of staying sober.
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