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Healing From Addiction With Yoga Therapy
Addictions are most commonly manifested as a need to fill a void or as a coping technique. It’s critical for recovering addicts to discover a healthy approach to cope with their problems and emotions. Yoga, as a comprehensive therapeutic modality, helps individuals through the recovery process. Yoga’s beauty is that it can be done by anyone and everyone, regardless of physical fitness, age, or gender. All you need is an open mind.
What Is Yoga Therapy
It might be difficult to define yoga in a broad sense. Within the breadth of yoga, there are so many different and overlapping elements, levels, branches, and nuances that a single description inevitably falls short.
Yoga from the original Sanskrit language translates to the word “Union” which refers to its ability to connect the mind, body, and soul. Holistic yoga is made up of three basic parts that address your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being (poses, breathwork, and meditation). Stilling the mind and gaining insight while resting in detached awareness are the ultimate objectives of yoga.
Yoga’s popularity has exploded in the past 20 years. This can be attributed to what some call the age of distraction. We live in a society where technology has permeated every aspect of our daily routines. Yoga is becoming more widely utilized in addiction treatment programs to lessen withdrawal symptoms, prevent relapse and give a healthy coping mechanism to those struggling.
Yogas Effect On The Brain
It is very common for people suffering from addiction to have co-occurring disorders such as anxiety or depression. The practice of yoga is a powerful way to stimulate the brain and reduce the symptoms of many mental health disorders. Experts believe that yoga can enhance your cognitive ability. With increased brain activity, you can learn to slow down your thinking and stay in the moment.
Yoga can create positive changes in neural behavior by:
- Regulating stress hormones
- Reducing stress and anxiety
- Promoting healthy sleep
- Boosting focus and concentration
- Aiding emotional and impulse control
- Making you more in tune with your senses
In addition to healthy brain function, yoga has a positive influence on our physical health as well. These benefits include:
- lowered blood pressure and heart rate
- reduced levels of stress hormones in the blood
- a reduced lactic acid build-up in muscle tissue
- balanced levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood
- improved immune system functioning
- increased physical energy
Managing Stress In A Healthy Way
Stress is a well-known risk factor for the development of addiction as well as the likelihood of relapse. While it may not be possible to eliminate stress, we need to find ways to manage it. When we break down the practice of yoga into its 3 parts we begin to understand its benefits:
Poses (Using Postures To Control Cravings)
Yoga poses, also known as physical postures, are a set of motions that are used to improve strength and flexibility. This entails putting your body in various postures and then keeping them for a period of time. Poses range in difficulty, from easy to challenging. In a simple pose, you might lie entirely calm on the floor. A more advanced pose may push your physical boundaries. These positions may aid in the release of emotional and tension-related obstructions, such as muscular knots. They also encourage the release of mood-enhancing endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals that can help you cope with stress and reduce cravings. Furthermore, yoga posturing can assist you in developing the discipline of saying no. Yoga is a discipline-based activity that also aids in the development of personal characteristics.
Breath (The Mind-Body Connection To Mental Health)
The average person takes 17,000 breaths per day, but most of us never stop to be mindful of a single one. Research has shown that our breathing patterns can influence the emotion we experience. The respiratory center of the brain controls breathing, which is an autonomic function of the body. As part of the ‘fight-or-flight reaction,’ our breathing rate and pattern vary when we experience stress. Fortunately, we also have the ability to control our own breathing.
Breathing control is a key aspect of yoga. Controlling your breathing may help you manage your body and calm your mind. Yoga teaches us how to reclaim the natural equilibrium that exists between the mind, body, and spirit. The majority of people who practice yoga claim to have more peace of mind. Individuals may be more aware of their new coping methods as a result.
Meditation (Being Present In The Moment)
Meditation can assist you in becoming more conscious and aware of the present moment while avoiding judgment. We learn to practice remaining in the present moment rather than being focused on what was or what could be. We can’t be conscious of what we’re doing until we’re right there in the middle of it. The capacity to modify brainwaves, which contribute to increased psychological function and cortisol decrease, is another advantage of meditation.
Assists With Family Bonding
Addiction is known as a family disease, therefore recovery must be a family effort. Often, addiction is accompanied by feelings of shame, embarrassment, or low self-esteem. Rebuilding a healthy bond with loved ones is imperative to a successful recovery. Just as yoga strengthens your mind and body, it can create close familial bonds during practices. Yoga can also teach patience and help to repair trust between loved ones. Combining family time with the positive effects of yoga is a powerful way to reinforce any treatment program.
How We Can Help You
At Ethan Crossing Our yoga therapy program uses a broad approach that teaches you a new way of thinking. We place emphasis on maintaining the general well-being of our patients. Yoga therapy for addiction puts you more in touch with your physical and mental state. You can use yoga to relax and decrease the pain and discomfort you may feel during treatment at our drug detox center.
A yoga therapy program is an integral part of our comprehensive treatment plan. We’re delighted to work with our clients to help them conquer their addictions and any underlying mental health issues. Our yoga treatment program provides you with a lifelong skill that may be used to replace substance dependency. When you are ready to take the initial steps toward recovery Ethan Crossing is here to help.