Yoga For Drug Rehabilitation

The Use of Yoga for Drug Rehabilitation

Yoga has been used for centuries to promote a connection between the mind and body. Yoga helps “bring these higher planes (the mental) in harmony with the physical structure, creating an exponentially beneficial effect physically.”[1] The practice of yoga to make one “not just physically fit but also mentally and emotionally balanced”[2] is frequently being used in drug rehabilitation programs as it promotes many of the aspects that aid in recovery, such as stress management and compulsion control.

Drug Treatment:

Drug addiction has long been a huge problem throughout the world, it is estimated that “drug abuse kills about 200,000 people worldwide each year.”[3] There are many drugs that people become addicted to, both illegal, such as heroin,[4] and legal, such as prescribed pain killers.[5] Though there are lots of different drug addictions the treatment is usually similar for each type of drug with most places following the 12 steps program. However, more and more treatment facilities are using other features to help drug addicts, such as art therapy and yoga. It’s been found that “yoga makes a natural companion to 12-Step based recovery because it shares many of the same goals.”[6]

Body and Mind:

The main purpose of yoga is to create a connection between the body and the mind. In this way it benefits two problem areas in one go; "yoga treats the biology and the psychology of an addict."[7] Recovering addicts can exercise their bodies by doing yoga, bringing strength and flexibility back, plus, they can exercise their minds too as yoga helps promote balance and inner peace. This is particularly important for drug addicts who typically have disordered minds.

Yoga for the Control of Compulsion:

A common personality trait in drug addicts is that they are compulsive; they don’t take time to weigh and consider their actions but instead jump straight in to situations. This often happens when they don’t want to face a difficult situation; instead of working through it they avoid it, usually by turning to drugs as an easy way out. Yoga aims to still and control impulsiveness; by using breathing techniques and yoga moves drug addicts can learn “impulse control, attentiveness and concentration.”[8] In short, yoga can help control the impulse to take drugs.

Yoga for Stress Management:

Stress can be the factor for many drug addicts that makes them take drugs; they use drugs to self-medicate and block out the stress instead of dealing with the cause. A drug addict’s natural response becomes to panic and take drugs, but by practicing yoga they can change these responses. Deep breathing and relaxing the muscles are common ways of reducing stress and they are practiced during yoga. So, when stress hits, the relaxation techniques used in yoga will help them produce a relaxation response; “The relaxation response puts the brakes on this heightened state of readiness and brings your body and mind back into a state of equilibrium.”[9]

The Connection between Yoga, Meditation and Drug Recovery:

Yoga and meditation often go hand in hand; yoga uses postures and exercise to promote a balanced mind, meditation works by focusing on breathing and the inner workings of the body to promote the same thing. They are invariably linked and in most yoga classes there is a period for meditation. Many drug treatment centers now offer yoga and meditation as treatment because meditation can help “improve mental concentration and clarity, reduce anxiety and depression, and promote a deep sense of inner peace.”[10] These are exactly the types of responses that recovery facilities aim to teach recovering drug addicts.

How effective is Yoga in Treating Drug Addiction?

Studies have been carried out to discover the effectiveness of yoga as drug treatment and the findings have been generally positive. One such study was carried out by Dr Hackl at the University of Vienna. It found that 97% of drug abusers stopped taking drugs while undertaking a Sahaja Yoga meditation practice.[11] This shows that yoga can be very beneficial in treating drug addicts. However, there are factors that must be considered, for the drug patients to get the full benefits they must regularly attend yoga sessions and not do them sporadically or stop after a few classes. It’s also important that the yoga classes they attend are taught by professional, qualified yoga teachers as they will be able to truly apply the teachings of yoga and help the patients use them in their own lives. There is also no evidence to show that yoga alone can treat addiction; it must be combined with counseling and treatment. Despite this, yoga is still an excellent tool to help drug addicts; it can speed up their recovery time and provide them with valuable tools for coping in a drug-free life.

• The Need For Yoga, Ajarya Yoga Academy, accessed July 10th 2014
• Benefits of Yoga, The Art of Living, accessed July 10th 2014
• Drug Abuse Kills 200,000 People each Year: UN Report, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, accessed July 10th 2014
• Buddy, T. What are the Treatments for Heroin Addiction? About alcoholism, updated March 17th 2014, accessed July 11th 2014
• Choose a Top Inpatient Hydromor phone Treatment Rehab, Drug Treatment.com, accessed July 10th 2014
• How yoga Can Help During Drug and Alcohol Rehab Treatment, Recovery Ranch, accessed July 10th 2014
• Stukim, Stacie, Freedom from Addiction, Yoga Journal, accessed July 10th 2014
• Bardelli, Rebecca, Yoga Aids in Recovery from Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Yahoo Sports
• Robinsonetal, Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief, Help Guide.org, last updated February 2014, accessed July 10th 2014
• Types of therapy: Meditation, Promises Treatment Centers, accessed July 10th 2014
• Hackll, W. The Effect of Sahaja Yoga on Drug Consumption, 1995