Meditation is becoming a popular tool in helping those who suffer with addictions. It is no longer limited to Eastern spiritual practices and is even mentioned as the 11th step in common 12-Step recovery programs. Meditation is appealing to many because some types of meditation can be practiced with ease, anywhere or anytime.
     Treating addiction has often involved traditional recovery techniques employed by such groups as Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous, entering a rehabilitation facility or outpatient treatment. Talk therapy (psychotherapy) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) are often used in treatment programs due to their effectiveness. Some programs may even emphasize a humanistic approach to treatment in order to build self-esteem and self-awareness. Dialectical behavioral therapy involves mindfulness living and the use of deduction to track down non-working cognitive programs, changing them to a healthier outlook. Gaining more self respect is part of this approach: "In order for an individual to succeed in their recovery, they must first learn to love and respect themselves. Dialectical behavior therapy teaches self-reliance and the proper way to rebuild self-image." (Michael's House, 2009)
     One method currently being used for addictions are medications such as methadone or buproprion which may help some individuals reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms; but, may also cause unpleasant side effects or may not be effective for certain individuals. Other methods such as long-term psychotherapy may not be supported by many health plans. The spiritual or religious aspects of some programs may conflict with personal beliefs, ruling them out. Meditation offers many individuals suffering with addiction another tool for their recovery.
      A recent trend is to combine meditation with more traditional therapies for addiction recovery. For instance, Australian addiction counselors Radha Nicholson and Brendan Healy have created the "Bay Approach", that combines meditation techniques with psychotherapy. "You observe your thoughts and feelings, without becoming attached to them. From this perspective, you can begin to see the subtle patterns and habits around your addictive behaviour. When you are aware of how they influence you, they have less hold over you," states Nicholson. (Stephens, 2009).
     In addition, meditation and its effect on addiction recovery is being seriously observed by academics at such institutions as the University of Washington where Professor Alan Marlatt, director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center, is researching the effectiveness of meditation techniques in relapse prevention. Along those lines, the Buddhist Recovery Network was formed in 2008 as a response to the increased use of mindfulness-based therapy in treating addictions. Their spokesman, Paul Santilan, states that the Network's goal is to encourage relevant academic research and promote the benefits of meditation methods for addiction recovery. "Over 500 studies show that meditation raises levels of serotonin, the ‘feel good' chemical deficient in addicts," explains Santilan. (Stephens, 2009)
    A recent Psychology Today article by Ronald Alexander, Ph.D., director of the Open Mind Training Institute and teacher at UCLA, Pepperdine, and Pacifica Graduate Institute, reinforces the physiological basis for meditation's effectiveness in helping those with addictions in that it "lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your bloodstream ...which can affect neurotransmitter receptors and alter your mood." (Alexander 2010). Alexander also recommends meditation as an excellent way to help mood regulation because scientists have observed that meditation stimulates activity in the part of the brain that is responsible for regulating emotions.
     The most effective meditation methods focus on quieting the mind and clearing its "chatter". One cannot stop mind chatter unless they achieve a deep trance state that bypasses the chatter. Some techniques use music, specific postures while chanting, breathing techniques, visualization and guided imagery. I have used many of these techniques unsuccessfully. A local practitioner, Swami Ramaraaja (a/k/a S.R. Stone, DD, VHT, RMT), author of Going Clear, Doorway to the Divine has had success with helping individuals fighting addictions by employing her own brand of methods that are called "tracking". She combines this with deep trance meditation in order to uncover root causes of addiction so that they may be eliminated in a similar way as the Bay Approach, DBT and CBT where the attachment to behavioural patterns are released uncovering the deep-seated issues behind their addictions.
Stone invented a type of deep trance meditation called "Samadhi Nirvana Yoga (SNY) Meditation". What makes SNY meditation so effective for many people is that one can finally lower their brain waves into deep delta and beyond within a few seconds. All I have to do is to use a trigger that was given to me by Swami Ramaraaja (Stone) during my "meditation initiation" so that I can return to that state anytime that I desire, especially if I get stressed out during the day. Others who have used this particular type of meditation technique taught at the Mystic Tiger Ashram have remarked that they have greatly reduced or even eliminated medications (with their doctor's knowledge and approval) that they had been taking for a variety of psychological and addiction issues.
 
Contact Swami Ramaraaja
(S.R. Stone DD, VHT, RMT) at www.mystictigerashram.com,
goingcleardoorwaytothedivine.com, (www.sharonstoneinstitute.com, and www.thesharonstoneinstitute.com school-under construction), Ashram and Healing center.
 
Contact Lynn Young by email at
slymoptop@gmail.com