Why Yoga for Recovery?

There is no shortage of studies that prove the positive links between yoga and health, mindfulness and stress reduction, or a consistent wellness practice and overall wellbeing. According to the National Institutes of Health, 

Research suggests that yoga may help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits, and improving mental/emotional health, sleep, and balance; relieve low-back pain and neck pain, and possibly pain from tension-type headaches and knee osteoarthritis… Help people manage anxiety or depressive symptoms associated with difficult life situations… [and] help people with chronic diseases manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

In our busy and overcommitted social structures and professional lives, these are ailments and conditions that most of us experience at some time. And yet despite the proven effectiveness of yoga to help manage these common issues, the stereotypical perception of yoga in the West is still typically one restricted to thin, wealthy, privileged women — rather than a system of philosophy and movement than can help to help all people deal with the messiness and painful aspects of everyday life. 

One oft-overlooked painful experience of life that yoga can be particularly helpful with is that of recovery. American Addiction Centers report that in 2017, more than 35% of Americans were experiencing an illicit substance disorder — a number that, according to the American Psychological Association, likely increased during the pandemic. This is all to say: Addiction isn’t rare, and recovery is possible. As it turns out, yoga can be an important complement to other recovery therapies. 

The National Institutes of Health reports that: 

Yoga, which is a form of mind–body practice, draws its roots to India and it has been proven to reduce perceived stress, anxiety, improve physical and mental health. Yoga has eight components such as conduct within society, personal discipline, postures/poses (”asanas”), breathing, concentration, contemplation, meditation, and absorption/stillness. Yoga in the management of drug dependence has been an intriguing area of interest since the last decade. Yoga is being considered as a holistic intervention inducing dopamine homeostasis leading to long-term benefits in management of addictive behaviors termed as “Reward Deficiency Syndrome.”

This is just one reason that Higher Ground Studio is proud to offer free/donation-based Yoga for Recovery classes every Friday night. We’re committed to helping people find freedom from addiction through the power of presence and supportive community. 

Learn more about the Higher Ground story here!