One of the most common causes of addiction is when you’re struggling with a mental illness like anxiety. Some people have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, but they may have developed an addiction to their prescription medications. Others have anxiety, but they turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to self-medicate their anxiety. No matter what the case may be, it’s important to understand how meditation therapy for anxiety disorders works to help you recover.
What is Meditation Therapy for Anxiety Disorders?
Meditation is a practice that’s been around for thousands of years, but there are many misconceptions about what meditation is. Although meditation originated as a practice of Buddhism, you don’t need to adopt any sort of belief system to meditate. Meditation is simply a way to train your mind and become more resilient when it comes to dealing with negative thoughts and feelings. There are various forms of meditation, and many are extremely simple to do.
One of the biggest misconceptions about meditation is that you’re supposed to stop thinking when you meditate. Through meditation therapy for anxiety disorders, you’ll learn how to watch your thoughts rather than being consumed by them. Meditation is about catching your thoughts before they spiral out of control and cause you to become more anxious. Much like anything else, meditation requires practice, but over time, you’ll begin to see that you can master your anxiety.
Mindfulness Meditation Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
Individuals most use mindfulness meditation for anxiety. It’s been around for years. It wasn’t until the 1980s that mindfulness began to gain popularity in the United States. A neurobiologist by the name of Jon Kabat-Zinn made mindfulness extremely popular in the states. He defines mindfulness meditation as paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. Over the years, it’s been discovered that mindfulness not only helps with anxiety, but it also helps with the following:
- Pain management
- Anger issues
The best part about mindfulness meditation is that it can be formal or informal, and you can do it anywhere. There are various formal practices such as mindful breathing or a body scan where you sit while you meditate. Through a meditation therapy program, you’ll learn that there are many other ways you can practice mindfulness. You can also do mindful walking, mindful listening, mindful eating as well as anything else where you’re training your attention.
Recovery from Addiction and Anxiety
Look for a dual diagnosis treatment center to help. They’ll offer meditation therapy for anxiety disorders as well as an addiction treatment program to help you recover. Addiction treatment centers are here to show you that you can recover from your addiction and overcome your anxiety as well. Some of the other programs to look for include the following:
- EMDR therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Family therapy