What’s recovery without joy?
Recovery shouldn’t be just about brute survival. It’s an opportunity to integrate daily joy into your life, helping you to avoid substance use and prioritise your long-term happiness.
One of the most effective tools for daily joy in addiction recovery is mindfulness. This increasingly common practice has been proven to reduce relapse rates and boost emotional wellbeing.
By learning how to be more present, compassionate, and self-aware, you can rediscover joy after the storm of addiction.
What Role Does Mindfulness Have in Addiction Recovery?
Substance use is known for pulling people away from their loved ones, distracting them from their goals, and disconnecting them from the present moment. Mindfulness aims to repair these ruptures gradually and repeatedly, until living in the present becomes second nature for you.
Scientifically, mindfulness works on the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which controls executive functions such as decision-making and self-control, and calms the amygdala, which is what triggers the “fight or flight” response (1).
In terms of addiction recovery, the default for patients is impulsivity, e.g., accepting a drink at a bar despite wanting to stay sober.
Mindfulness teaches patients how to acknowledge their thoughts, feelings and cravings without jumping to action, giving them time to carefully consider their choices and hopefully allow cravings to pass by. Over time, this boosts resilience as the individual realises they are capable of experiencing strong cravings without relapsing.
Phase 1: Mindfulness Practice in Alcohol Rehab
Many alcohol rehabs provide mindfulness therapy in order for patients to understand how to handle their cravings before they have to deal with “real-world” temptations.
In the initial stages of addiction recovery, particularly during the at-home alcohol detox, you are at your most vulnerable. Adapting to this new sober lifestyle can be incredibly challenging both physically and emotionally, and mindfulness provides the tools necessary to manage this.
Mindfulness therapy comes in many different forms, but each one prioritises self-awareness and focusing on the present moment. This can be achieved through mindful walks, guided body scans, breathwork, and mindful eating.
Given these activities are already integral to everyday life, patients can explore mindfulness in an authentic way. Dabbling in mindfulness does not need to feel like a formal therapy session every time, but instead a new approach to living, that can be gradually adopted over the month-long rehab stay.
Just as you don’t exit rehab with a perfect ability to stay sober, it’s unrealistic to expect to be an expert in mindfulness after such a short period of time. For this reason, it’s important to continue to practise mindful activities after alcohol rehab, whether alone, with loved ones, in therapy, or in addiction recovery groups. Working that mindfulness muscle is key.
Phase 2: Mindful Tools for Daily Joy in Long-Term Recovery
So, what specific mindful tools can bring daily joy in long-term recovery? Let’s explore some popular options for life after alcohol rehab.
1. Mindful walks
Have you ever walked barefoot on the beach and thought about how hot the sand feels on your feet, or walked in your neighbourhood and noticed the sound of the birds? You may already be practising mindful walking without realising it.
Try making a habit out of mindful walking. Instead of listening to a podcast or walking without a purpose, make an effort to notice how your body feels, and what you can see, hear, or touch on your walk.
This retrains your brain to focus on what’s here and now, which will become an incredibly useful tool when you are battling the dark thoughts that come with addiction recovery.
2. Body scans
There’s no better way to check in with yourself than to do a full body scan, starting with your toes and travelling up your body, taking a few moments to notice how each body part feels as you go.
It’s common for people in recovery to hold onto a lot of tension, and mindful body scans can offset this by allowing you to release that tension bit by bit.
3. Breathwork
Focusing on your breathing is an effective tool for accessing daily joy. You may be harbouring negative feelings, such as anxiety or dread, and it’s only when you take a moment to zone in on your breathing that you can recognise this, and reduce those unsettling emotions.
4. Affirmations
We are surrounded by the thoughts, feelings and opinions of others, particularly on social media. By repeating positive affirmations to yourself, you are ensuring that you don’t lose sight of your own self-worth or value in the midst of such chaos.
Mindfulness quotes boost confidence and security, which helps you to remember who you are and what you stand for. Temptation is inevitable in addiction recovery, but having a strong sense of identity can equip you with the strength you need to say yes to sobriety.
Overcoming Common Challenges with Mindfulness
For some people, the concept of mindfulness fills them with dread. Let’s not ignore how challenging mindfulness can be, but remember there are ways to combat this in order to welcome that daily joy into your life.
1. Uncomfortable emotions
Mindfulness requires you to face your emotions head-on, which isn’t always easy. Some people find that they initially feel worse, as they are processing emotions they perhaps repressed or coped with through their alcohol use.
That being said, anyone who has experienced addiction recovery will have plenty of experience dealing with uncomfortable emotions, and will understand that this is a crucial step in feeling more emotionally stable and capable of maintaining sobriety.
2. Perfectionism
Much like meditation, some people find themselves trapped in a cycle of perfectionism when it comes to mindfulness. Each drifting thought or moment of hesitation causes them to believe they weren’t cut out for mindfulness.
Remember this journey is about joy, not pressure. No one can be perfectly mindful at all times, neither are they expected to be. Even small shifts towards a mindful lifestyle can help you access an inner strength that is critical for recovery.
3. Productivity
On the surface, mindfulness doesn’t appear to be very productive. If you have high expectations for yourself, or you worry about how others perceive your productivity, you may feel as though mindfulness is unproductive, or even lazy.
The truth is that mindfulness is an extremely effective preventative measure, even being described as a “shortcut to focus and productivity” (2). By staying in tune with your mind and body, you can quickly pick up on any changes, helping you to access joy more readily and prevent burnout.
Conclusion
As you recover from addiction, focusing on joy is what will help you to cultivate an addiction-free life with your wellbeing at the very centre.
We don’t do this by avoiding pain at all costs, but by paying attention to ourselves and our surroundings, and taking action before negative changes take place. Whether through mindful walks or breathwork, staying in the present moment is one of the best tools you have for nurturing sobriety.
Why not try one small mindfulness practice today? Eat mindfully for your next meal, or focus on your breathing for the next 30 seconds. Mindfulness isn’t achieved in one day, but step by step, you will realise why this practice has been adopted by so many people in recovery.
References
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053811916002469
[2] https://hbr.org/2015/08/is-something-lost-when-we-use-mindfulness-as-a-productivity-tool
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