Can Mindfulness Help with Addiction Recovery?
British native Steven struggled with drug addiction for over 7 years. He found no relief with Western treatments. Relief finally came in 2004 when his father took him to the renowned Thamrabok monastery in Thailand, known for their detox. His body healed over the course of 30 days, but his mind remained miserable and weak. Looking for some purpose in life, Steven ordained as a Buddhist monk and continued to study meditation for the next eight years. Astonished by how meditation was able to change his life, he taught it to the other monks and also to addicts. He learned that practicing meditation daily helped reduce stress, brought them more joy, and made it easier for them to make a wise decision. Steven began studying yoga and attending mindfulness workshops to deepen his own meditation practices.
He was finally freed from the curse of addiction and had discovered his purpose in life; to help other addicts to recover while staying in a beautiful northern farm in Thailand. We are proud and honored to have Steven with us here at Thai Rehab Helper. The following is an interview with Steven, a team member at Thai Rehab Helper.
Q. We’ll get started by asking what mindfulness is
Mindfulness is being able to draw attention to the present experience each and every moment. It is to be aware of your thoughts, cravings, feelings, and urges and how they are affecting your behavior. Mindfulness is also about creating an attitude of compassion and acceptance and learning how you can finally let things go.
Q. What makes mindfulness important to recovery?
When one has negative feelings and experiences, their natural instinct is to escape the situation with an addiction. Mindfulness teaches us how to interrupt ourselves and take a break. When cravings come, we are able to mindfully observe it and recognise the craving for what it really is; a momentary, transient thing that passes in time. There’s no need to act on a craving. It’s going to pass and we know this, because they always pass in time.
A craving commonly occurs when something has gone wrong. Mindfulness teaches us to accept our suffering as a natural part of life and not give in to negative thoughts. Mindfulness teaches that we shouldn’t get too attached to happiness. Happiness is just as transient and fleeting as negative feelings.
When one attunes their body and mind with mindfulness, they receive signals about things out of balance. Mindfulness teaches that we should respect and welcome these signals rather than pushing them to the side. Our body can tell us what we truly need if we take the time to listen to it.
Q. What makes meditation important to mindfulness?
Mindfulness is developed through meditation. It’s how one learns how to be in the moment and observe thoughts and feelings. One must be aware of their thoughts and feelings in order to create behaviors that change those thoughts and feelings. Meditation enables an addict to resist the need to escape and helps them understand why they are suffering.
Practicing meditation allows them to extend how long they can suffer without having to use alcohol or drugs. In time, regular meditation begins to alter the brain and establish healthier associations in the reward centers of the brain.
Q. Do recovering addicts have to practice meditation for hours each day?
There’s no need to meditate too long. As a monk I would meditate for up to five hours each day, but the sessions now are shorter. I aim to cultivate mindfulness in daily activities, and not just during a meditation session. After having a community meeting in the morning, I will start the workday with just five minutes of guided meditation. We have another 20-minute body scan before lunch where we assess our body to see what we are feeling. We believe that practicing short meditation sessions during the day are the best way to see how you are doing and refocus our energy and minds.
Q. What kinds of meditation are recommended for addicts?
The best kind of meditation is the one that works best for the addict. We practice many kinds of meditation at drug and alcohol rehab in Thailand including breathing, sitting, walking, shaking, listening, compassion, and forgiveness. Try different ones until you find the right one.
Q. Is mindfulness recovery built on Buddhist philosophy?
I certainly borrow tools from Buddhism including mindfulness, meditation, and yoga for addiction recovery. I embrace the Buddhist idea that everyone has everything they need inside of them at all times. All one has to do to solve their problems, no matter what they are, is look inward and know themselves.
Q. Do you need to be a Buddhist to practice mindful recovery?
You don’t need to be a Buddhist. Mindful recovery is not related to any specific religion or religious practice. You can worship any deity – or none at all – and enjoy what mindfulness has to offer.
Q. Can mindfulness help the addicts who are overwhelmed by their guilt and shame?
One of the most important aspects of mindfulness is learning how to treat oneself with acceptance and kindness rather than being stuck in a state of fear and self-loathing. As the mind is cleared and becomes more balanced, there’s more space for positive thoughts and feelings. We begin to learn how to observe negative things and let them go. This might sound like hocus pocus to someone that is new to recovery. I know it did when I heard it. But I’ve learned from experience that this really works, and I’ve seen it work for others too.
Q. We’ve heard about addicts making mud bricks as part of their recovery. What’s up with that?
Residents at Thai rehab centres make mud bricks, plant vines, build bamboo trellises, and grow plants in our organic vegetable garden. I believe that working outdoors is a great opportunity for practicing mindfulness. By working alongside volunteers in the beautiful outdoors, addicts are able to reconnect with the community, society, and environment around them to find purpose in their life.
Q. Is there some theory to successful recovery at Thai rehabs?
I’m not so sure about that one, but I do believe that people have everything they need to recover from addiction already inside of them. They have the tools to lead a life of purpose. We don’t cure people in the traditional sense. Rather, we help residents to discover the knowledge and strength that they have inside of them; that we all have inside of us. Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, and compassionate sharing are the tools we use to guide addicts along their journey of self-discovery.