5 Meditation Apps for People in Addiction Recovery
The Benefits of Meditation for People in Recovery
Meditation entails a mindfulness practice that helps reduce stress and anxiety. Daily meditation is quickly being added as one of the therapies offered in many addiction treatment centers. The main goal of mindfulness meditation is to sync up the mind and body for improved mental well-being and an enhanced quality of life. It is characterized by taking deep breaths, chanting a mantra or another focused word, and focusing on the breath to increase awareness and connection.
Daily meditation helps reduce stress, depression, anxiety, and triggers like yoga while changing brainwaves. There are many benefits of mindfulness meditation for those who are in recovery from substance abuse. Meditation helps calm the nervous system, which can help withdrawal-related symptoms during drug detox like insomnia, depression, and anxiety. It is also a great addition to dual diagnosis treatment and for people with co-occurring disorders. It also helps release dopamine and other endorphins that the brain may be regulating after prolonged drug and alcohol use. Additional benefits for those struggling with addiction include:
- Decreased insomnia
- Increased focus
- Emotional stability
- Improved mood
- Increased ability to focus
- Reduced depression and anxiety, including social anxiety
- Reduced PTSD and ADHD symptoms
- Increased creativity
- Relapse prevention
5 Meditation Apps For People In Recovery
It may seem challenging to shut your mind off and meditate on your own, but like any muscle, it takes practice to build up. Meditation can be a part of many powerful tools you can use in addiction treatment. Several apps for meditation and recovery help you build your meditation and mindfulness practice. Here are our top five:
- Breathe: This phone app teaches you to de-stress and sleep better in just five minutes a day with a personal meditation and mindfulness coach. It includes a guided meditation series, inspirational talks, and master classes to help you navigate life’s challenges and enjoy improved peace of mind. You can try it out for free for 14 days, but the app costs $12.99 monthly.
- Calm: As one of the most popular meditation apps available, it is designed to help you build a daily meditation routine and manage anxiety. It offers guided meditation with some famous celebrity voices you might recognize. The membership costs $70, but you can try it out for a seven-day free trial.
- The Breathing App: Created by Dr. Deepak Chopra and world-renowned yoga Eddie Stern, Breathing App focuses on teaching resonance breathing. Slow, relaxed diaphragmatic breathing at around three to seven breaths per minute is thought to regulate the nervous system and anxiety disorders, which is excellent for addiction recovery. The best part is it’s free.
- Waking Up: This mindfulness app offers more intent and structure rather than passive daily meditation. It is perfect for those in addiction recovery looking to change their daily meditation routine permanently. It offers a seven-day free trial but will cost you $99 annually.
- Insight Timer: Another free mindfulness app (although you can pay a premium membership for $60 per year) is Insight Timer which offers more than 45,000 meditations free of charge. The library of meditation and mindfulness is easily searchable; however, the enormous library can be a little overwhelming.
Guided Meditation During Addiction Treatment at Novo Detox
At Novo Detox in Los Angeles, our treatment programs know the many benefits holistic and alternative medicine can contribute to evidence-based addiction treatment. We offer a specialized program of holistic therapies, including meditation, mindfulness, and other powerful tools, during your drug and alcohol rehab stay with us. Introducing therapies such as these in inpatient rehab can help you explore and discover the different ways to manage your substance use disorders in the long run. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, please give us a call at (844) 834-1777 today. One of our addiction specialists will be happy to help you.
