An addiction – whether it is to a substance such as heroin and alcohol or to a behaviour such as gambling or shopping – is categorised by the individual’s repetitive engagement in their addictive behaviour(s) despite the negative consequences.
This means that although an addiction may have severe and lifelong effects, the individual continues to either continue substance use or continue to partake in the behaviour that they are addicted to.
This is why addiction is considered to be a serious mental health issue, and individuals who find themselves struggling with addiction should seek rehabilitation as soon as they are able.
This specific blog post will focus on substance addictions and a specialist treatment known as Clinically Standardised Meditation (CSM), but further information on other addictions such as those to behaviours can be found across our website and blog posts.
The effects of substance addictions can last a lifetime depending on which substance(s) the individual has been addicted to, making it vital that individuals seek rehabilitation as soon as they are able to.
Rehabilitation helps individuals to overcome and treat the effects of addiction, though the process of this will be slightly different for every individual case.
Addictions can never be truly cured, but the effects can, meaning that individuals can continue to lead a healthy and sober lifestyle, even after overcoming the effects of a past addiction.
In addition, it is vital for individuals to seek rehabilitation as the effects of the disorder can exponentially worsen if it is not treated within a suitable amount of time.
Some substances, such as heroin and alcohol, can have especially harmful and adverse effects on an individual’s physical health, meaning that they can risk lifelong health issues and, in extreme cases, death if their condition is left untreated and suitable rehabilitation is not sought.
Although rehabilitation and suitable treatment of the effects of the individual’s addiction will look different in every case, this is not to say that an individual should not consider many different forms of treatment during their time in rehabilitation and their consequential recovery journey afterwards.
One of these treatments that is recommended as a self-lead, and independent practice is the application of Clinically Standardised Meditation (CSM).
CSM was developed as a way to make Eastern meditation more suitable for Western use. This involves the repetition of a mantra (a key phrase that serves as the focus of the individual’s meditation practise) while in a state of physical and mental ‘stillness’ – often used for deep consideration or reflection on a specific subject (1).
In general use, CSM is suitable for reduction in stress (2), but it has many applications in other fields – one of these being within the field of addiction and the reduction in stress in the context of addiction recovery.
Before an individual begins to practise Clinically Standardised Meditation as a way to reduce stress and reflect on different aspects of their addiction and its effects, there are several principles that must be first understood.
Firstly, it is important that individuals are realistic about their meditation practices, meaning that they do not expect any immediate effects, to come to a sudden and profound realisation, or to be magically treated after a few sessions.
Instead, individuals should set small intentions to begin with, meaning that they may start with just the intention to sit quietly and without intrusive thoughts for a certain length of time during their first session before building on this as they practise more regularly.
In the following subheadings, there are some further tips and advice on how to get the most out of CSM and make it an effective way to spend time.
In general, individuals wanting to practise Clinically Standardised Meditation effectively should ensure that the environment that they wish to practise in is suitable, meaning that they have the time and the space that they need, without distractions.
This can include avoiding practising CSM before an important event, meaning that the session will be rushed, but can also include factors such as noise levels, not practising too close to eating or drinking stimulants such as coffee or tea, and light levels.
The environment an individual practices in should be quiet, away from distractions, and not too brightly lit in order to allow the individual to rest their eyes on one subject rather than being blinded or distracted by multiple visual stimuli.
It is always important that individuals practising any form of meditation are comfortable and unlikely to be drawn away from practice by physical discomfort.
This includes the way that an individual is sat but can also include ‘props’ that an individual may use to assist their seating such as a chair, pillow, blocks, folded blanket, or other object.
If an individual needs to move around during meditation, this is allowed in order to maintain focus, but it is generally recommended to maintain stillness, meaning that finding a comfortable position and trialling different versions of this is always best to find what is suitable for your individual needs and requirements.
As mentioned previously, it is important that individuals do not have unrealistic expectations for their meditative practises.
It is natural that an individual’s mind will wander away from stillness and reflection, and this is completely fine. In some cases, these intrusive thoughts and thought patterns can be helpful in order to draw meditation to other factors, but it should never be the source of frustration.
In general, individuals are recommended to simply acknowledge these thoughts before gently letting them slide to the side. This is a key factor in all meditative factors but is also appropriate and applicable to CSM specifically.
Anyone can practise Clinically Standardised Meditation if they feel as though it will be a beneficial practice for them. During the early stages of recovery and rehabilitation it may not always be suitable, but later in an individual’s time in rehabilitation, there may be more suitable opportunities.
Many medical professionals recommend meditation in general due to the ways in which it can be specialised and tailored to every individual case, and this is true for CSM, as well.
Specifically in the field of addiction, CSM may be more beneficial for individuals struggling with the emotional effects of addiction, as CSM has been proven to be effective in these areas.
When concerning stress reduction and greater emotional control, Clinically Standardised Meditation has been shown to improve these factors – something that continues in the long term after the initial introduction of this form of therapy (3).
Rehab 4 Addiction will always recommend that individuals progress with three key stages of rehabilitative care:
As previously mentioned, an individual may practise Clinically Standardised Meditation at any stage of their recovery process, but they should always consider their physical and mental well-being at each stage of the process to ensure the effectiveness of the meditation practice.
For example, individuals going through serious and long-term heroin withdrawals may have little time, patience, or energy for CSM, though this is usually recommended at the later stages of a heroin addiction recovery due to the importance of these individuals’ mental health.
On the other hand, however, individuals progressing with a cannabis rehabilitation programme may have more time, patience, and capacity to partake in CSM during their detoxification stage, too, due to the differences in the withdrawal processes.
In general, individuals should always consult with a medical professional or therapist to ensure that they are in a fit condition to partake in mental health-focused treatments such as CSM.
To learn more about Clinically Standardised Meditation, addiction, and how this treatment may be beneficial for you or someone you know, speak to a member of the Rehab 4 Addiction team today.
Our friendly and professional team can be reached on our addiction support hotline 24/7 with free and confidential advice.
From this, we will be able to recommend the next best steps for you or someone you know and start the process of the journey to recovery.
Reach us today on 0800 140 4690.
[1] Carrington, P., 1998. The book of meditation: The complete guide to modern meditation. Element.
[2] Lehrer, P.M., Schoicket, S., Carrington, P. and Woolfolk, R.L., 1980. Psychophysiological and cognitive responses to stressful stimuli in subjects practicing progressive relaxation and clinically standardized meditation. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 18(4), pp.293-303.
[3] Tang, Y.Y., Tang, R. and Posner, M.I., 2016. Mindfulness meditation improves emotion regulation and reduces drug abuse. Drug and alcohol dependence, 163, pp.S13-S18.
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
