How Yoga Helps with Addictions
written by Jennifer Magath
The malign effects of addiction take many forms and can be the result of alcohol, drugs, sex, eating disorders, gambling and smoking. Indeed, the consequences of addiction are not just personal and familial but also stretch beyond to government and how the latter can institute reform in order to counter the uncontrolled rate of addiction. Tackling addiction, therefore, is of widespread importance. The root cause of an addiction is, of course, personal and it’s here where we can begin to look for adequate solutions. Yoga, with its emphasis on the self-reflection and spirituality, can make its mark in this regard as more evidence reinforces its effectiveness in tackling addiction.
Dealing with Addiction
Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, for example, show that the total cost of drug abuse and addiction amounts to a staggering $524 billion a year. Developing a coherent strategy to deal with this challenge [1] should have due consideration to yoga. It’s true, of course, to suggest that yoga is currently not the mainstay of modern addiction treatment programs. However, it would be improper to infer from this that yoga is somehow ineffective. To the contrary, evidence suggests that yoga is just as effective in group settings as traditional psychotherapeutic methods. Yoga, therefore, cannot be dismissed due to a deficiency of evidence; rather, it’s that an insufficient amount of studies have been performed thus far.
The nurturing awareness that yoga cultivates ultimately helps to break the addiction cycle. This cycle is based on a false sense of security invested in a particular substance or thought process, leading to a collapse of self-identity and, finally, personal ruination. Yoga, in its emphasis on contemplative meditation, allows the user to regain this sense of self-identity by discovering the underlying causes that led to the formation of the addiction in the first place.
This is reminiscent of the traditional method of treating alcohol addiction through use of the Twelve-step programme. It’s worth noting that this programme is itself premised on spiritual grounds [2] and therefore yoga should be valued as complimentary to this treatment. However, yoga differs in its heavier focus on the use of poses (asana) to aid the spiritual guidance of the addict. Poses such as the Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svasana) help to develop a new perspective on the addiction by encouraging the removal [3] of inner hurts.
Benefits of Yoga to Addicts
The difficulty with addiction is that you’re dealing individuals who feel good only while engaging in the addictive behaviour. Yoga, therefore, needs to substitute itself for the addictive behaviour such that the addict feels just as good while practicing yoga. The use of the asana aids in this process as it acts to become the safety valve for all negative emotions. In other words, yoga acts to become an effective yet healthy psychological crutch when dealing with addiction.
Furthermore, yoga helps with addiction by promoting what’s known as witness consciousness [4]. Witness consciousness is the process in which we observe our thoughts and emotions, realising that it’s us who have control over what we accept or deny as a thought. Once taught, this empowers the addict as they’ve now developed the skill by which they can objectively analyse their identity and help to marshal those thoughts in a salutary trajectory.
However, there is more. Yoga, through the combined effect of asana and witness consciousness, helps to formulate a sense of empathy for the self. This is in marked contrast to the abject state of denial that the addict first found themselves living with. In acknowledging, and not denying, the addiction, the addict can begin to develop a sense of self – a powerful reinforcement in their ability to control their own thoughts as well as realising they themselves conquered the dependency.
There is one final benefit from yoga in its benefit to addiction. We all take breathing (pranayama) for granted as it’s an unconsciously controlled parameter of our life – we don’t need to think about it. It is, of course, a vital life essence. Yoga takes this essence to structure and control it – trying to forge a more effective way to maximise the benefits of pranayama. The process of inhalation (puraka) and exhalation (recaka), therefore, can be controlled to the advantage of addicts.
Understanding how to pattern the breathing process itself reaps huge rewards for addicts. For example, addicts learn to cope with stress in a defined way as well as alleviating the time required to sleep at night. These coping and relaxation strategies [5] help to train addicts in how to structure their addiction. If, for example, an addict felt anxious then they could revert to an appropriate breathing practice to effectively handle these stressful events. Furthermore, it provides the addict with a tool with which they can effectively manage their own lives in their own individual way.
Worth Considering
Yoga, as we’ve seen, confers immense advantages to those in all manner of addictions. The evidence firmly suggests benefits on par with traditional methods as well as teaching some crucial skills for the addict. This wealth of benefits will be acknowledged more and more over the forthcoming years as more studies objectively verify its benefits. Overall, yoga has shown itself to act in a wholly positive way that will only serve to benefit future generations of addicts. Given the immense costs that addiction imposes on national governments, they too will seek to utilise the methods of yoga in their treatment strategies.
[1] “Addiction Science: From Molecules to Managed Care.” Last updated July, 2008. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/addiction-science-molecules-to-managed-care/introduction/drug-abuse-costs-united-states-economy-hundreds-billions-dollars-in-increased-health.
[2] “Breaking the Cycle: How Yoga and Meditation Can Help Heal Addiction.” Last updated September, 2010. http://www.kripalu.org/article/860/.
[3] “Addiction Recovery: How Yoga Can Help.” Accessed 14 July, 2014. http://www.yoga-abode.com/talkingpoints/yoga_for_addiction.
[5] “Heal Addictions Through Breathing and Relaxation." Last updated 10 December, 2012. http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6995/Heal-Addictions-Through-Breathing-and-Relaxation.html.