Overcoming addiction is a long and expensive process that doesn’t always guarantee success. Or is it? Several approaches and programs can treat drug addiction and substance abuse that includes alternative, complementary, traditional, and other methods that focus on a holistic approach.
Some people think that when someone is addicted to a substance, no person can help them. However, addiction is entirely treatable and needs an individualized and holistic approach. Yoga is a body-mind, non-drug comprehensive drug addiction treatment that will help an addict maintain and enhance addiction recovery after rehabilitation.
Yoga is most valuable when used together with other traditional substance abuse management approaches. Also, it doesn’t require expensive equipment or location – you can execute it anywhere and anytime. In this article, we will learn How Yoga Can benefit Addiction recovery
What Exactly is Yoga?
Yoga is a philosophy often interpreted as yoke or bind. People that practice yoga uses several physical postures to connect the movement of the body to the mind through a rhythm of breathing techniques. Unlike stretching or fitness, with Yoga, you’ll be able to recognize habitual thought patterns that help you to focus attention to the inward self – this awareness is what makes Yoga a practice.
When correctly performed, yoga can be very powerful as it unites the body, mind and the spirit.
6 Benefits Associated With Yoga in Addiction Recovery
There are various conservatories of yoga; most sessions comprise breathing exercises, meditation and flexing different muscle groups. According to the American Osteopathic Association, regular yoga exercise can offer physical and mental health benefits during the addiction recovery period.
Yoga just like most modern preventive medicine focuses on the body’s ability to recover and heal itself. Let’s dive in and learn the various benefits that are helpful in drug addiction recovery.
#1. Combats Anxiety and Stress
Addictions are unpredictable. Anyone who engages in substance abuse can develop the habit even after a single use. Being an addict is not subjected to the type of drug, number of times used or whether family members struggle with addiction.
When someone abuses a drug some pathways that relate to making sound decisions, feeling pleasure and regulating emotions in the brain is affected. Scientific evidence reveals that the intervention of yoga helps to reduce anxiety and stress that trigger various types of addiction. Here yoga functions like a self-soothing technique that lowers blood pressure and decreases the heart rate for increased respiration that helps in addiction treatment.
#2. Induces Sleep
Insomnia can affect anyone and yoga can offer an excellent way of stimulation. Restoration asana is a guided practice that makes an individual relax and sleep better. Yoga helps to relax muscles, prepares a user to rest and helps him to fall asleep faster.
#3. Boosts the Immunity System
The next factor that stands us as a benefit of yoga in addiction recovery is that it helps to improve the immunity functionality. The body movements combined with a breathing system helps the body to relax, and consequently, mitigates an aggressive immunity function in certain diseases like Psoriasis.
#4. Regulates Adrenal Glands
Adrenal glands are responsible for secreting cortisol, a hormone that responds to an acute crisis that can compromise the immune system if released in excess. Depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack increases with high levels of cortisol. As a form of exercise, yoga helps in addiction treatment by aiding to lower excessive levels of cortisol and weight reduction.
#5. Increase Muscle Strength and Tone
Unlike going to the gym, yoga will help you build muscle strength and improve flexibility which is a crucial benefit of yoga practice. Any person of any age or weight whether a potato couch or a professional athlete can benefit from various yoga modifications.
Strong muscles are vital in protecting you from Arthritis and back pain. Besides, even if you won’t be at first touch your toes, you’ll notice the gradual loosening and improved posture.
#6. Gives You Peace of Mind
After a while, a user can experience withdrawal symptoms and yoga is an excellent approach to helps to quell the frustrations of the mind. Besides, stress can reveal itself in the form of migraines and insomnia. Other health implications include fear, frustration, anger, and regret which can have adverse effects on an individual’s well-being.
Let Yoga Aid You in Your Journey of Recovery
Many forms of yoga practice are safe that can help you in the addiction recovery process. The number of times you can practice yoga depends entirely on you, but we recommend starting with two times a week for thirty minutes to an hour and gradually increase the frequency.
Remember, yoga is not a religion. So, you can incorporate a yoga session to complement your treatment and improve your mental well being and improve your overall health.
Rise in Malibu offers yoga as a core element of our program that combines traditional, holistic and modern treatment methods to provide our clients with a path to sustainable recovery. Contact us today or call us at 1-866-229-5267 today.