Meditation – can it help?

Question

This girl in my NA group is always going on about her Yoga and meditation and how she finds that doing one or the other each day helps her make it through the day. She says science proves that people who meditate are calmer and more able to stay off drugs, although when I ask her for any specifics on this she gets pretty vague… I’m having a tough time right now and if this stuff works then I might take her up on her offer to go to a few classes with her. But I don’t want to waste my time on any New-Age mumbo jumbo either. Also, I’m not really the kinds of guy that would generally be caught dead in some sort of yoga center…or chanting to Budda or whoever… So is it true what she says? Would it help me stay clean?

Dr. David Sack · Accepted Answer

Many people who are in recovery continue to have problems with anxiety and insomnia; these are indications of over-arousal of the autonomic nervous system. When stressed, these people tend to have excessive responses.

A number of treatments have been looked at in treating anxiety and preventing relapse. Those treatments include transcendental mediation, biofeedback, and relaxation techniques – and they have been shown to be beneficial. If you’re having this level of discomfort, meditation could be very helpful in improving your sense of well-being and lowering the risk of relapse.

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