Meditation is making its way into more and more addiction treatment programs – and it seems like everyone is talking about its advantages when it comes to getting and staying sober. Elizabeth Vargas, the 20/20 anchor who took her battle with alcoholism public in 2013, even touts transcendental meditation with helping her to reduce anxiety in her book “Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction,” according to eonline.com.
“Meditating has taught me to sit with my thoughts, my feelings, and just observe them,” she writes. “You cannot turn your brain off, or stop your thoughts, but you can try while meditating not to become too invested in them. This is called transcendental meditation, which is the kind I practice. But any kind of mediation will do.”
She’s far from alone in her discoveries. There have been hundreds of studies done on the health benefits of meditation and how regular practice can help you feel less stressed, more focused on the here and now, and more attuned to your body and mind – all crucial tools for sustained recovery.
5 Ways Meditation Can Help You
- It can lower blood pressure and your risk for heart attack and stroke.
- It can make you better at your job, improving productivity and creativity.
- It can lower cortisol levels and prevent stress eating.
- It can help improve your relationships, making you more patient and a better listener.
- It can help you increase energy and sleep sounder.
Find Your Spirituality at Providence
Providence Treatment encourages each patient to cultivate spiritual practices in their lives while they are in the process of transformation from active use of alcohol and/or drugs. To this end, we sponsor silent retreats that promote stillness and a deeper relationship with yourself and your Higher Power – however you understand it to be. To learn more, call (866) 247-3307.
