How Can Mindfulness Practices Help Manage Cravings and Triggers?

Substance use brings devastation to a person’s sense of self. They are chronic conditions that can lead to overpowering emotions. Even when the consequences of substance use become apparent, there might be reluctance toward recovery and treatment because a person might not be prepared to deal with the feelings of shame that usually accompany addiction.

Practical coping mechanisms, such as mindfulness, can help someone handle stressful feelings that substance abuse might have brought into their lives. Mindfulness is not only helpful when supporting a person while conquering ambivalence about treatment, but it becomes a critical tool for maintaining long-term recovery.

Managing cravings and triggers isn’t just about testing someone’s willpower. It’s a combination of self-compassion and strategy. As you go through recovery, you can start to realize them better. Keep reading to learn about mindfulness and how it can help you develop strategies to manage your cravings and triggers with confidence.

A Craving Explained

Cravings are strong desires and urges that can take your body and thoughts hostage. They typically make you want to do exactly what you’re trying to resist.

You may be thinking about just the rewarding part, unable to focus on anything else. Your goals and plans are ignored as your brain pays attention only to that one desire. The more you think about the craving, the more your brain wants to indulge.

Cravings and Recovery

For people with an addiction, there usually comes a time when cravings transform. Instead of taking pleasure in the reward, the cravings become more about getting some relief from the urge itself.

So even though you may not get the same results, your brain’s reward system still thinks that the addictive substance provides a reward. When going through withdrawal, the sensation can intensify.

Mindfulness: The Ability to Be Completely in the Present Moment

While a lack of consciousness typifies mindlessness, mindfulness is the feeling of being completely in the present moment.

Mindfulness helps us to purposefully engage with our bodies, minds, and surroundings. While mindfulness might seem like something to accomplish, it is really something that everybody already has. The challenge is knowing how to access mindfulness in your life.

Many things make mindfulness a vital tool for spiritual healing and growth, encouraging a bigger connection and meaning in life. These mindfulness elements include:

Openness
Compassion
Acceptance
Non-judgment
Letting go
Gratitude

Mindfulness emphasizes the significance of experiencing each moment for what it is and what it can bring to your life. Mindfulness brings better awareness to your thoughts and emotions without putting any labels on them.

It teaches people how to “go with the flow” with their various life situations, doing away with any type of judgment. To approach every minute of their lives with compassion and thankfulness.

How Mindfulness Can Help with Recovery

Mindfulness can help to create a safe space during recovery, giving you a place where you can better manage your urges and cravings. Research on mindfulness-based interventions and therapy show promising results and here’s why:

Pause Before Reacting

The ability to pause when a craving or urge hits may give you the time you need to consider how you want to respond, rather than reacting habitually. Realizing that it’s a fleeting sensation that will pass could make the discomfort more comfortable. It may also help you to recognize the triggers that a craving is coming so you can act.

Better Emotional Regulation

Mindfulness helps us to find out how to regulate our emotions. That means it can let us manage our intense emotions and stress which are the usual triggers for cravings.

Decreased Self-Criticism

Mindfulness practices also foster an attitude of non-judgment, which is crucial for lifelong recovery. People typically feel frustrated when cravings occur or guilt and shame when they act on them. With mindfulness practice, you’ll know that this is part of the process, making acceptance easier. When judgmental or critical thoughts pop up in your head, tell yourself you’re only human and every step is part of your path to recovery, healing, and growth.

Does Mindfulness Work for Everyone?

Mindfulness can be helpful for numerous individuals, but its effectiveness differs. While some might experience fast benefits, others could find it difficult or need more support. Mindfulness is just one facet of total well-being and combining it with other interventions or recovery practices might be necessary.

Consistent mindfulness practice rewires the brain to acknowledge the things that you cannot control, such as situations from your past. It is crucial to realize that if people do not deal with these feelings, their odds of relapsing only heighten. This time of increased risk occurring is typically during emotional instability after treatment. This is when a person is most likely to go back to substance use to deal with mental or physical anxiety and stress.

Can Mindfulness Stop Me from Relapsing?

Mindfulness can be a helpful tool in relapse prevention. By developing present-moment attentiveness and coping skills, people can better manage cravings and identify triggers. This also provides a chance to react to cravings and triggers in a practiced, purposeful way, lessening the chance of relapsing.

Mindfulness Can Help During Any Stage of Recovery

Mindfulness can help during any stage of recovery. It doesn’t matter if an individual is in the early stages of recovery or long-term sobriety, mindfulness can be modified to fulfill the particular challenges and needs of every stage of recovery.

Mindfulness in Recovery Helps You Let Go of the Past

One of the most vital elements of recovery is relapse prevention. This practice entails detecting

the fundamental causes of substance use and devotedly working to decrease any risk factors of a relapse happening after treatment. Mindfulness helps people realize that experiencing hardship and emotional pain is a normal part of life.

Mindful Tips for When a Craving or Urge Hits

When cravings come, these mindfulness practices can help you handle them.

Acknowledge the Craving

It’s normal to feel angry and afraid when a craving hits. But the pressure we put on ourselves to not have these feelings is what makes it worse. Learning to recognize and acknowledge our cravings makes it easier to let them pass. So instead of struggling with your body, work with it.

Recognize the Trigger

Try to think about what may have caused the craving, and any urges you feel. Realizing what happened to trigger the craving could give you enough of a pause to stop you from responding habitually.

Use a Mindful Mantra

While it may feel weird, the goal of a mantra is to concentrate on acceptance and self-compassion when a craving happens. Think of a saying that sounds true to you personally. “I will accept my cravings and urges because they are part of my recovery. The good news is they will pass.”

Try a Stress-Relieving Activity

Refocus on something else that provides stress relief. Make a list of things to do when a craving hits. Here are some ideas:

Taking a walk in the park
Writing in a journal or painting on a canvas
Putting on your favorite song and dancing

All these activities are centered on creativity or movement which releases endorphins. Endorphins ease tension in the body.

Try a Sensory Technique

Experiment with various strategies to center yourself and keep yourself grounded. Here are some common ones:

Visualization – Picture yourself defeating the craving. Visualize the steps you took to manage it. Afterward, experience a sense of relief when the craving is gone.

Mindfulness meditation – Calming sounds, like meditation music, can lead you towards the present.

Mindful breathing exercises – There are many breathing exercises to help you achieve mindfulness. Try 4-7-8 breathing or alternate nostril breathing.

Get Social Support

If mindful exercises aren’t working, you may just need to talk with someone. Social support is one of the most vital factors for physical and mental well-being. Seeing a loved one has a deep calming effect. So don’t hesitate to get in touch with someone you trust and have a conversation. It’s even better if you meet in person or have a video call.

Reflect

After the craving has gone, reflect on what techniques succeeded and which ones didn’t. The more knowledge you collect, the more prepared you’ll be when the next craving or urge hits. Taking some time to think about your experience, without any self-judgment or criticism, could also increase your level of devotion to recovery.

Contact Us and Get Help Today

At Elevate Recovery Homes, we understand the powerful ability of mindfulness in recovery. Our sober living homes in Colorado offer comprehensive treatment programs that incorporate mindfulness practices to encourage individuals on the path to healing. If you or a loved one are seeking support in battling addiction, we are here to help.