Mindfulness is all about training your mind to focus and stay connected to the present moment. Far from being a new or “fad” concept, its roots go back quite far in time. Buddhists practice the technique as a form of meditation to develop self-awareness and lead a life free from suffering. In recent times, psychologists have used therapies based on mindfulness training to help manage many mental health conditions. Such mental conditions are associated with addiction. When these mental conditions aren’t managed, a successful recovery can be negatively affected.
Many cultures use meditation and mindfulness to calm the mind and achieve enlightenment. It has been successfully used to treat and manage depression, anxiety, stress, and drug addiction.
Mindfulness training may be something that works for you. If you would like to know more about it, contact us today at 866.262.0531 for more information about addiction therapy services.
Learn more about mindfulness training here:
What Is Mindfulness Training?
Mindfulness meditation therapy is a form of mindfulness training that consists of sitting quietly and focusing the mind only on the present moment. It involves being aware of your own thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment without passing any judgments.
Mindfulness mediation could be very useful for people who are trying to recover from alcohol addiction or other kinds of addiction, as it improves the individual ability to gain control over their thoughts and feelings, raises awareness of craving levels which can eventually help them to resist temptation.
The goal of mindfulness training is to help you become fully aware of what is happening within you at each moment. It teaches you to recognize the present moment and accept all that is happening within you.
Through mindfulness, you can understand your own feelings and thoughts better, while learning to be more compassionate toward yourself. Going into addiction treatment doesn’t make for an easy time. You are dealing with many different emotions, both from the past and in the present. As a result, you may have difficulty dealing with all of them. Mindfulness can be of great assistance in this situation.
Therapists or counselors use many different techniques to train the mind. Moreover, these techniques involve focusing on your thoughts, breathing, and body sensations. When integrated with other therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness training can be very effective in treating various addictions.
Specifics of Mindfulness Training
The techniques used may differ based on each individual’s specific and unique needs. Our experts at Crestview Recovery evaluate each patient and choose the best practices. Some basic practices used include:
- Practicing basic meditation – Sit comfortably, focus on your breathing and allow thoughts or feelings to come and go without judgment
- Focusing on body sensations – Notice the sensations in each part of your body, from head to toe
- Paying attention to all your senses – Take in smells, sounds, sights, touch, or taste without judging them in any way
- Accepting your emotions – Notice and accept various emotions such as anger, joy, or frustration
- Addressing urges and cravings – Take note of cravings and let them subside. Notice the way your body reacts when cravings occur
Mindfulness Meditation Therapy
Mindfulness meditation therapy has been scientifically proven to provide relief for those who are struggling with addiction issues. It’s been shown to calm users down, as well as take their minds off of things for a little bit. It’s been scientifically proven that mindfulness increases dopamine concentration in the brain by as much as 27%, which is one of the causes of addiction.
Our experts at Crestview Recovery will train you to focus your mind and gain self-awareness. Additionally, our intensive outpatient therapies combine different experiential and evidence-based techniques that let you regain control of your life. Addiction does so much to disconnect you from your own life. It’s good that there’s a way to get back in touch with it again.
Our addiction treatment programs include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Somatic therapy
- Mindfulness meditation therapy
Benefits of Mindfulness Training in Portland, Oregon
All the treatment regimes we practice at Crestview Recovery are designed to teach you to take control of your thoughts. With a combination of therapies, you will find that your thoughts no longer control you. Moreover, mindfulness training teaches you to live in the present and stop worrying about the past or the future.
Mindfulness meditation can improve many conditions, including:
- Anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Depression
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Mindfulness meditation also helps improve memory, concentration, creativity, and self-awareness. As a result, people who practice this technique experience lower blood pressure, strengthened immunity, better sleep, and digestion.
Training at Crestview Recovery
At Crestview Recovery, we use both seated and moving meditation techniques. These techniques train you to respond instead of reacting to stressful situations. By practicing these techniques, you can learn to let go of addictive thoughts while becoming more accepting of yourself.
Our therapists and counselor offer individualized addiction therapy programs based on your unique needs. Therefore, we offer dual diagnosis and trauma therapy along with family and group therapy.
The scenic location and natural environment around our facility help your mind and body heal faster. Moreover, activities such as white-water rafting, skiing, and snowboarding make it easy for you to unwind while you heal.
Let our knowledgeable and compassionate therapists and counselors design the best treatment programs to help you take control of your thoughts. Contact Crestview Recovery today at 866.262.0531 to begin your healing journey.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.