Substance use disorders often begin as a means of avoiding painful emotions, intrusive thoughts, social anxiety, and physical pain. This self-medication can lead to addiction. When we practice mindfulness, we train ourselves to accept whatever we are experiencing rather than trying to escape it. By accepting what’s happening and investigating the experience, we learn that unpleasant experiences are temporary and tolerable.
Mindfulness is learning to live in the present moment and being aware of what’s going on around you. It’s an ancient Buddhist practice supported by modern science. Every year, more and more research affirms the benefits of regular mindfulness practice. Mindfulness can be especially helpful in overcoming addiction. It has already been incorporated into a number of treatment methods, including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT).
Every day of the programme at Red Door Recovery is started with a short guided meditation. This simple act of being present in the here and now and taking time out of the day to focus on accepting our situations and surroundings, can drastically improve our mental and emotional fortitude.
We also have scheduled classes utilising different mindfulness techniques to equip our clients with practical tools they can use whilst part of our whanau as well as in their lives outside of Red Door.
We have two scheduled yoga sessions per week. These are aimed at relaxing the tension that builds up in our bodies and (like meditation) allows us a way to "quiet the noise" inside us without using drugs or alcohol.