There are many different strategies for overcoming addiction. In treatment, clients often find that prayer and meditation can help in a big way. While you don’t need to be religious to take advantage of these benefits, you can be. Take a closer look at the value of a meditation therapy program, prayer, and spirituality in addiction treatment and rehab.
Increasing Self Awareness
In both prayer and meditation, there is an element of stillness. Whether you take 15 minutes at the end of the day to pray or you spend the first 30 minutes of the day in meditation, you won’t be distracted by anything else. That time is an opportunity to focus and to calm the mind.
The act of spending a few minutes in solitude, without outside distractions, can actually increase self-awareness. While in meditation, individuals may notice that they are hungry, or they might pay attention to their physical being. This is normal, and it means that they’re becoming more self-aware. With so much going on around us in everyday life, a few minutes of peace is key.
Stress Relief
Spending time in prayer or meditation can also be a means of stress relief for men and women in recovery. This is incredibly important because stress is often a trigger that leads to relapse. Prayer and meditation can bring down high blood pressure and even slow the heart rate slightly, keeping individuals calm in times of stress.
Anyone who wants to overcome a drug or alcohol addiction should have a plan for stress relief. Otherwise, stress can build until the only means of release is substance abuse. Often, regular prayer or meditation can be the preferred way to relieve stress, and it can be done anywhere for maximum convenience.
Reducing Feelings of Isolation
Many, many people report loneliness while they struggle with addiction as well as in recovery. While this is normal, it is important for clients to see that they aren’t alone. During rehab, peers and support staff can help. Afterward, however, a few minutes of meditation or prayer can help individuals feel less isolated.
The ritual of prayer, and of meditation, has been practiced for thousands of years. That web of history means that when you pray, you are a part of something bigger. Whether or not you’re religious, you’re involved in something truly bigger than yourself. That can be a comforting feeling for many clients.
Participating in the 12 Step Program
The 12 step program is perhaps the most popular addiction treatment program in the entire world. While you don’t need to be any particular religion to complete the 12 step program, you do need to have an open mind about faith and spirituality as a whole. That’s because many steps in the program involve a higher power or the idea that you’re not alone in the world. Meditation and prayer can easily fit into the 12 step program, making it a critical part of recovery for many individuals.
Prayer and Meditation at Soledad House
At Soledad House, we see a close link between spirituality and recovery. It is not enough for women to break free from the physical bonds of addiction. They also deserve to find happiness and meaning in life. That’s why rehab has a holistic approach and includes all of the following strategies:
- Group therapy
- Nutritional support
- Exercise therapy
- Yoga therapy
- 12 step meetings on and off the premises
Prayer and meditation can be helpful tools on the road toward sobriety. At Soledad House in San Diego, California, women can develop their spirituality while improving their health. If you’re ready to fight back against addiction once and for all, call 866.314.3222.
