a woman adds a yoga therapy program to her addiction treatment plan in rehab

3 Benefits of Yoga for Healing Addiction

The benefits of yoga for general health are well-known. Derived from Hindu spiritual practices, people all over the world practice yoga for its capacity to improve both physical and mental health. Combining specific postures with practices in meditation, breathing, and relaxation, yoga can be a powerful supplement to other addiction treatment modalities. 

If you or a loved one is living with addiction, help is available. Washburn House offers a variety of treatment programs for alcohol and drug addiction, including a yoga therapy program. To learn more about our mission and treatment programs, including how we use yoga for addiction recovery, call Washburn House today at 855.298.3104. Our intake specialists are ready for your call.

Yoga and Addiction Treatment Go Hand-In-Hand

From the outside, yoga might look like simply transitioning into and holding poses. But it really is so much more. Rediscovering a sense of quiet and balance is an essential part of the recovery process. Yoga emphasizes the connection between mind, body, and spirit. It helps the patient turn their attention inward and redirect their thoughts and feelings to a place of peace and calm. Furthermore, yoga can be practiced anywhere or at any time. If a person begins to feel anxious or worried, some simple breathing exercises or yoga postures can help them to find their center. 

3 Major Benefits of Yoga for Addiction 

In addition to the general convenience of yoga and the sense of mindfulness it can produce, yoga offers many benefits within an addiction recovery context. The benefits of yoga include:

  • The ability to control cravings
  • Stress reduction and self-control
  • Improved overall well-being

Combat Cravings for Alcohol or Drugs

Even if a person doesn’t indulge in them, drug cravings can result in a surge of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that functions in the brain’s “reward center” and is related to mood, memory, and motivation. The deep, intentional breathing that is a part of yoga practice can cause the body to release its natural endorphins. So, consistent yoga practice can create feelings of pleasure—a “natural high”—while allowing the brain a chance to reestablish normal dopamine production.

Yoga for Addiction Can Reduce Stress and Promote Self-Control

The recovery process can be very stressful as a person learns to navigate the world while newly sober. Different circumstances may trigger a person’s cravings. Yoga requires a person to check in with their feelings and stress level. It brings the practitioner awareness of their own emotional state. As a result, yoga can contribute to a person’s capacity for self-control and, by extension, can help them resist giving in to cravings when they strike. 

Yoga and Well-Being

Yoga is a whole-body practice. In addition to its mental and emotional benefits, yoga can be a significant physical outlet for the stress a person will encounter in the recovery process. Intentional breathing, combined with transitioning into and holding poses, will help the patient build physical strength, while meditation and stillness will improve their mental health and cultivate self-discipline. Accordingly, yoga makes sense as part of a holistic addiction recovery program, as it helps the client build and maintain their mind-body connection.

Yoga Is Just One of Many Supplemental Addiction Treatments

There are many ways to support addiction recovery, and no one-size-fits-all solutions. Following medically supervised detox, a person will be admitted into the program best suited to their needs. This could be an inpatient, partial, hospitalization, or intensive outpatient program (among others) that may include group or individual therapy, nutritional counseling, and supplemental treatment programs like yoga therapy or music therapy. To understand what types of treatment may be best, intake specialists and medical professionals will look at a patient’s history of substance use and medical history and will assess their physical and mental health. The best treatment plan is the treatment plan that is best for the individual patient. 

Yoga Therapy for Addiction and So Much More is Available at Washburn House

If you think you or someone you love is in need of an addiction treatment program, help is available right now. Washburn House’s holistic recovery programs for alcohol and drug addiction cover a wide spectrum of care and are based on the latest scientific innovations in addiction treatment. In addition to traditional recovery options like individual and group therapy, Washburn House offers supplementary treatments like a music therapy program and a yoga therapy program. Our intake specialists are ready to talk to you about your options right now. Call Washburn House today at 855.298.3104 or fill out our online form and take that first step toward recovery.

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