Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention

Relapse Prevention

Written by Drew Redd. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.

Addiction is an extremely difficult disease to overcome, which is why so many people relapse. Although the disease is tough to get rid of, it is possible, but it requires proper coping skills. When you go to a professional treatment center, you’re going to learn methods that can help you stay clean for good. One of the best ways to stay clean is through the practice of mindfulness-based relapse prevention.

What is Mindfulness for Relapse Prevention?

When people hear about meditation, they may immediately get a lot of misconceptions that pop up in their head. There’s a false idea that meditation involves becoming a monk or picking up some type of religious beliefs. The reality is that meditation is something that can be completely secular, and it’s proven to help. There are many scientific studies that prove that meditation can increase the functioning of the prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for the following and more:

Logical decision making
Impulse control
Emotional regulation
Self-awareness
Fear modulation

Mindfulness is a great form of relapse prevention because it’s very informal, and you can do it just about anywhere. Mindfulness is a form of meditation that’s about paying attention in the present moment and without judgment. Through mindfulness-based relapse prevention, you will learn how to cope with life in a much better way. You’ll see that you can work with your emotions, thoughts, and cravings in a healthy way that doesn’t involve drinking or using.

Using Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention to Work with Cravings

Cravings are your body and mind’s response to various triggers in which you typically turn to drugs or alcohol. For example, if every time you get anxious or depressed you turn to drugs or alcohol, cravings then arise. Getting sober doesn’t mean you’ll never have triggers again, which is why it’s important to learn how to work through these cravings. Mindfulness is a great form of relapse prevention because you learn how to work with your cravings.

Through this form of relapse prevention, you’ll begin to learn how to observe your cravings with a gentle curiosity. One form of mindfulness is a body scan, and in this practice, you recognize what your body feels like when you have cravings. This is extremely beneficial because it’s much easier to deal with physical sensations than thoughts. Of course, thoughts will arise, but mindfulness will help you allow them to pass without latching onto them.

You Can Use Mindfulness Relapse Prevention Anywhere

Since you’re going to face many intense triggers in early recovery, it’s important to have a skill that you can use anywhere. With mindfulness relapse prevention, you’ll see that not only can you do it formally, but you can do it informally as well. There are practices such as mindful walking, mindful eating, mindful listening, and many more. The more you do the various practices, the sooner you’ll see your cravings and emotions begin to become more manageable.

Ardu Recovery Center is a Utah addiction treatment program that’s here to help you overcome your addiction. Not only do we teach you mindfulness, but we have a wide range of other therapeutic methods we use. We’re also a dual diagnosis treatment facility, which means we can assist you with any mental illness you may be struggling with. Our 80-person residential treatment facility provides you with a great peer support system so you can see that you’re not alone in your journey of recovery.

Some of the Utah addiction therapy services we offer here include the following:

Medical detox
Residential treatment
Cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapy

Don’t wait another day to overcome your addiction. If you’re ready to learn a new way of living, contact Ardu Recovery Center today at 801-810-1234.

Drew Redd is the executive director of Ardu Recovery Center and is dedicated to empowering people on their journey to sobriety.

Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention

What is Mindfulness for Relapse Prevention?

Using Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention to Work with Cravings

You Can Use Mindfulness Relapse Prevention Anywhere

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