Mindfulness and Addiction

You may have noticed that the topic of mindfulness and meditation is being talked about more and more frequently these days. Maybe you’ve heard that one of your favorite celebrities is a meditator, or perhaps you’ve read one of the overwhelmingly popular books by mindfulness teachers such as Eckhart Tolle or Thich Nhat Hanh. Either way, you know that it’s a big deal.And it should be.Mindfulness practices are such effective methods of dealing with various mental (and even physical) ailments, that many of the newest forms of psychotherapy use it as a foundation. Hundreds of books have been written about it, yet the core concept is so simple that it often leaves people wondering, “Is that all?”In a nutshell, mindfulness is focusing awareness on an experience (breathing, thinking, walking, eating) openly and without judgment. Sounds simple enough, right? Maybe it even sounds easy. If you think so, then give it a try. Close your eyes and practice focusing on nothing but inhaling and exhaling for the next minute. I’ll wait.Did you do it?If you tried it, chances are your mind started bouncing from thought to thought. Maybe you focused on your breath for a few seconds before you started worrying about money, your job, or what you’re going to have for dinner. If so, your experience was completely normal. Contrary to popular belief, mindfulness is not just about clearing the mind (although that can be a nice side effect after lots and lots of practice), but is instead about practicing how to be with experiences without giving in to the urge to fight them, judge them, label them, or change them, which is exactly why it is such a powerful tool for addicts.Keep in mind, I’m not saying meditation is a cure for addiction. Addiction has no known cure. Instead, it is an extremely powerful tool that can be used in conjunction with other forms of treatment.One of the most challenging aspects of addiction is dealing with the overwhelming urge to escape by using drugs, food, sex, video games, or the like. By practicing mindfulness, individuals essentially can learn how to develop the mental “muscle” that allows them to sit with and observe cravings and urges without instantly reacting and giving in to them. Again, it isn’t a magic bullet, but it can be an incredible help. It’s part of the reason meditation is an integral part of 12-step recovery.The best part is, you can start now. You don’t have to meditate to be mindful. Formal meditation practice is helpful, but you can still achieve results by practicing focusing your attention on what you are doing and feeling right now, whether it’s driving or washing the dishes. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the present moment. It’s that simple. Start with a minute, two minutes, five minutes. The more the merrier, but even a few seconds is helpful. Eventually, you will get better at it, and the benefits will be noticeable.