Learning how to tame chaotic thoughts and cultivate the peaceful nature of a calm mind is an important step to a successful addiction recovery.
An important goal of treatment is to identify and treat the root causes of addiction. Even though each person is different, one of the most common obstacles many people must overcome is learning how to calm the mind.
At Oro House Recovery Centers, our philosophy is grounded in our Compassionate Care Model of treatment.
We believe that when our work combines love, tolerance, and compassion, we will provide a safe space for our clients to heal and connect with us.
For an individual to begin to heal, we must first recognize the root causes of our problems.
With all that we have experienced in therapy and recovery work for over a decade, a common theme emerges throughout the process.
We guide our clients to become self-aware and move them in a direction of peace by learning how to control erratic or negative thoughts through a calm mind.
Chasing the Calm Mind
All of us who struggle with alcoholism and drug addiction seem to have one thing in common that makes us similar.
We all have an unmanageable mind that creates an unmanageable life. When there is an absence of a calm mind, there can be no peace, only chaos.
Ever since many of us were kids, our minds have run in a million directions, always in overdrive. We are not the type of people that can easily go to sleep at night.
When you add trauma or some other type of underlying disorder to the mix, our unmanageable minds are pushed to the max.
Many of us have faced a familiar scenario. One day we took our first drink, or we were given painkillers after a car accident. Maybe a doctor prescribed an anti-anxiety medication.
Whatever the case, for the first time ever in our life, we experienced what it was like to feel at peace because our mind finally became manageable.
It all happened so fast that we subconsciously began to chase that feeling of being free from our overactive mind.
If all of these “shortcuts” to a calm mind worked forever without any negative side effects or consequences, it would solve all of the problems that come with an unmanageable mind.
Of course this is not the case because our body perceives drugs or alcohol as an intruder. It understands these substances are not healthy and they are poisoning us, so it reacts in negative ways, such as developing a tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms.
If we live without pain, and stay euphoric for too long, we won’t hunt and gather, so to speak. Over time, our body normalizes the feelings created by the substances and we must take higher and higher amounts to achieve the same result of a calm mind at peace.
We all know where this ends. Because large amounts of substances attack the body and mind, we end up hitting some sort of a bottom. This is where Oro House can help.
Creating a Calm Mind
Understanding that people with a substance use disorder struggle with an overactive mind, focusing on therapies and tools to create a calm mind will provide positive recovery outcomes.
In addition to creating a calm mind, it’s also necessary to address negative-thinking patterns that trigger unhealthy behavior.
Most therapy and recovery work moves in this direction. But sometimes it’s difficult to convey the process in a meaningful way so people in recovery recognize the value of a calm mind.
“If our mind is not peaceful and tamed, no matter how marvelous the external circumstances are, we will be burdened by frights, hopes, and fears. With a tamed mind, we will enjoy wealth or poverty, health or sickness; we can even die happily. With a tamed mind, having many friends is wonderful, but if we have no friends, it is all right, too. The root of our own happiness and welfare rests with a peaceful and tamed mind.”
– Dalai Lama
Each person has his or her own unique circumstances that drive their overactive mind. So it takes time to identify what works best for each individual to create a calm mind, but it is worth the effort.
Most people are amazed to discover they were unconsciously using drugs and alcohol as a way to find peace from an overactive mind.
We realize we are a non 12 step rehab facility that doesn’t require 12 step facilitation. But we understand that well-done step work can be extremely helpful because it focuses on effective principles to calm the mind.
If we work on these themes in groups and individual therapy, we can collectively treat our underlying problem of addiction and trauma.
Once we tackle an unmanageable mind and find peace, we will heal and our life can become whole again.
Everyone is attracted to a calm mind. It is a necessary component to feel rich in sobriety and greatly reduces our need to use drugs and alcohol to cope with life.
Mind Calming Strategies
It is natural for people to consider meditation or mindfulness when thinking about ways to calm the mind. These practices have been used for centuries and work exceptionally well.
In addition to traditional methods, it’s also necessary to be aware of our own behavior and follow principles that cultivate a calm mind. Here are some strategies that follow that path.
1. Learn to Become Self Aware
Ask yourself, how do I affect others? Practice Positivity. Become aware of your Ego. Always work toward humility. Humility is one of the greatest qualities a human being can possess. It is always disarming to others and will bring people closer and make relationships stronger.
2. Conquer Anger
Always work on anger issues. Identify things you are afraid of and steer away from being selfish, dishonest, self seeking, and envious of others. Discover what you are really afraid of and make friends with it.
3. Value Honesty
Learn to always be honest in all things, or your mind will remain out of control. Never lie about anything. If you are a person of honor you will always be trusted.
4. Never Harm Anyone
We must work to always be of assistance to our fellow man and work to consciously never do anything to cause harm.
5. Take Extreme Ownership
Always consider your part in every interaction in life. Never blame others. Look at your role in interactions rather than that of others.
6. Always Make an Effort
In all things you are responsible for the effort. Not the outcome. Always give 100 percent effort in all that you do. You are not responsible for the outcome or what happens. That is up to God and laws of the Universe.
7. Be Kind
Always be kind and patient with a mantra of love and compassion for everyone, especially people that we don’t like or who are difficult.
8. Avoid Manipulation
Never manipulate outcomes in your favor to someone else’s detriment. Manipulation is easily seen by others and can ruin your reputation. Reputation and honor is of course very important to the overall calmness of mind.
9. Never Keep Secrets
Secrets are a huge trigger that will keep a mind highly unmanageable indefinitely.
10. Don’t Judge
Never be quick to judge others. This is not our place. We have enough work ahead of us by keeping our side of the street clean.
11. Pursue and Master Passions
Always pursue your passions and learn to master them. This gives you purpose in life and is a huge confidence builder. If you can turn your passions into your job you will never work a day in your life.
Robert Howland
Admissions Director
Oro House Recovery Centers
