The Power Mindfulness Practices and Sobriety Can Have On Mental Health
Mental health is a term used to describe emotional, psychological, and social well-being. When people experience poor mental health it can affect how they feel, act, and live on a day-to-day basis.
Depression, stress, and anxiety are all examples of poor mental health and while you might think throwing back a few beers is the solution, the reverse is actually true.
Negative Effects of Substance Abuse
While a drink here or there can help calm the mind, abusing alcohol or other substances to combat the side effects of poor mental health can be life threatening. In fact, those who abuse any form of substance have a higher chance of experiencing poor mental health than people who don’t.
Drugs and alcohol negatively affect nearly every organ in the body and can lead to an increased risk of:
Numerous types of cancer
Heart disease
Stroke
Lung damage
Severe respiratory problems
Kidney damage/failure
Liver cirrhosis
Depression
Anxiety
People experiencing substance abuse and mental health symptoms should see qualified help at a drug or alcohol treatment center.
Mindfulness: A Healthy Stress Reliever
For those who have not become dependent on drugs or alcohol, but still need a way to cope with poor mental health, mindfulness may be a solution for you.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation in which the individual will focus on being aware and present about feelings and experiences at the moment. Mindfulness often involves meditative breathing, guided meditation, and more, which are meant to relax the body and mind.
Mindfulness is a proven and effective way to improve mental and physical health, and overall well-being as it has been shown to improve and ease anxiety, depression symptoms, psychological distress, and insomnia.
While there are guides and videos online to help you, here are a few tips for getting started today:
Mindful Breathing – Find a comfortable position for yourself, it is best to be sitting or laying down. From there, focus all of your attention on your inhales and exhales.
Concentrate – When inhaling, follow and concentrate on the breath from beginning to end. Do the same with your exhale. The goal is to have your mindfulness be uninterrupted from breath-in to breath-out.
Focus on the Body – During the breathing exercises, focus on becoming aware of your body. Track the movement of your stomach and chest as you breathe in and out.
Let Go – After becoming aware of your body, as done in step 3, you may notice pain, anxiety, stress, tension, and more which may be impacting you. During your breath-out, try and release this tension.
If you’re having trouble with these techniques, journaling can be a useful way to concentrate on what you’re feeling, document it, and review it later. Here is a great article on how audio journaling in particular can help you manage anxiety.
Meditation and sobriety can both be effective ways to curb poor mental health and improve an individual’s social well-being. While each method can be effective on its own, they work best when done together.
The Symbiotic Relationship Between Meditation & Sobriety
Meditation and sobriety, when working in tandem, can lead to improved mental and physical health, emotional state-of-mind, and overall well-being.
The two methods work so well together that many substance abuse treatment centers have adopted mindfulness and meditative techniques as a part of their curriculum.
But it’s a two-way street.
Not only will meditation help with sobriety, but sobriety can help with meditation. Being sober will allow the mind to remain clear and open, free from cravings to use, as an individual goes through the mindfulness processes and works on relieving stress or depressive-related symptoms.
Mastering mindfulness and committing to sobriety can improve social functioning, mental and physical health, personal relationships, and more – all of which will lead to greater overall well-being.
While seeking professional help is often the best course of action when it comes to mental and physical health, making these small lifestyle changes can help you start to see a new and improved version of yourself.
Real-World Examples of Mindfulness & Sobriety
The idea of meditation and sobriety as a way to reduce mental health problems isn’t just a bunch of words -- it’s actions.
Most recently an addiction rehab in Arizona, The Hope House, partnered with Arizona State University specifically to bring mindfulness and exercise routines to their patients. The clinical and medical directors at The Hope House felt so strongly that meditation should be used on a regular basis that they agreed to bring doctoral nursing students on for the next five years.
While the patients at The Hope House are struggling with alcohol and opioid addiction, they will still be using many of the mindfulness techniques listed above.
About the Author:
Joe Gilmore works for The Hope House, a luxury drug and alcohol rehab in Scottsdale committed to providing patients with the highest quality of care possible as we treat their addiction and any underlying problems.
OTHER FEATURED ARTICLES
