Yoga is being taught to people suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction in more and more rehabs throughout the world. This is because yoga is proven to be an excellent therapeutic technique to help heal addictions during rehab and to help the addict avoid any relapse in the future.
Yoga as a Therapy
Yoga has been implemented as a therapy into many rehab programs because many people have said that it has helped them to quit abusing drugs or alcohol. The method that yoga uses to help end this abuse is very simple: yoga can give a person and their mind a daily purpose. Overtime, with daily practice the person is able to regain control over their mind and their body. To better understand this, one must understand what can make a person turn to drugs or alcohol in the first place.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction
Drugs and alcohol can help to fill a void in the user’s mind and body by either stimulating or dulling the senses. This stimulation or dulling of the senses begins to create false feelings of happiness and users may temporarily feel that their void has been filled. To keep this satisfaction a person continues to use drugs or alcohol, eventually they will develop a physical or mental addiction.
The Opposite of Addiction
Drug or alcohol addiction is said to be the complete opposite of any form of yoga. This is because most addicts do not care about their health and longevity of their life. Yoga is the opposite, it is based upon developing and maintaining a healthy balance between physical and mental health.
Eliminating Harmful Substances
People who begin to practice yoga seriously normally eliminate anything that is harmful to the body and that are addicting, such as: processed foods, meats, dairy products, nicotine, and of course drugs and alcohol. They do so because they believe they do not need these substances and it is limiting their potential.
Yoga and Coping
During rehab an addict will learn that they do not need drugs or alcohol to cope with life, and that yoga is a valuable therapy to practice on a regular basis. During and after rehab, an addict will not suffer from any harmful side effects when practicing yoga. Anytime and anywhere, be it rehab or after rehab, an addict can practice various breathing techniques, yoga postures, meditation, and other techniques that yoga has to offer.
Immediate Benefits
A person can see the benefits of yoga during rehab; after only one or two practices they may feel calmer as if a weight has been lifted. Overtimes, they will be able to regain control over their mind and body. This means that anytime after rehab if they are experiencing difficulties adjusting to their new sober life or having cravings, yoga can help them to regain control and decrease these feelings.
A Natural Stimulant
It is common for addicts to feel down and have very little or even no energy when they first enter rehab. Yoga acts as a natural stimulant and helps to increase energy levels. Once the person has left rehab, they may go through periods where they feel low in energy, with the yoga knowledge they accumulated during rehab, they are able to implement it into their daily life and increase their energy levels.
It Helps With Other Problems
Oftentimes, people with an addiction are suffering from other health problems. During rehab, the yoga instructor will assess any health conditions and then will develop a routine that is designed specifically for the individual depending on the problems. Overtime, this routine can be adjusted, by the time the person leaves rehab, they may notice a significant change in the problems that they were having. With continued practice after rehab, they will gradually see improvement in their health problems.
The Life Changer
Yoga practice during and after rehab is a healthy way to change a person suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction into a strong, balanced, and positive person who does not need any harmful substances to live. Practicing yoga can literally make all the difference in the world, and can potentially save a person from relapsing. Yoga will give any recovering addict the opportunity to meet any of their underlying needs that drove their addiction in a more positive and healthy way.
Excellent Therapy
The benefits of yoga during and after rehab are extensive, but overall is an excellent therapy that can not only help a person battle an addiction, but it can be used throughout recovery and can help a person avoid a relapse.
