Mindfulness: Controlling the Urge to Use a Drug

When a person develops an addiction for a drug, it can be very difficult to resist. People who are deep in addiction can easily renege on their resolve to curb their habit as their body begins to crave the drug. This is when mindfulness becomes important.

Mindfulness can be defined as the ability to focus one’s attention on the present moment. It is an emerging treatment for addiction that involves a collection of methods designed to relax the mind and focus on self-awareness. Doing this helps the person become more aware of his thoughts, emotions, sensations, and the outside world in general. Put simply, mindfulness offers one the chance to take control of his thoughts.

Mindfulness can help against drug addiction because it provides the person with a way to control his thoughts when he starts to crave for a drug. With it, he’ll be able to recognize the consequences of his actions on himself and those around him, so he can take the necessary steps to calm his mind and restrain his cravings.

One doesn’t need to perfect the process of mindfulness at once. Over time, he’ll develop a mindfulness strategy that works for his mind and needs. The key is to be committed to the goal. Pretty soon, he will understand how much learning to control his thoughts can do for him and his addiction.