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Breathwork is a therapeutic practice that helps give the mind a break. Breathing itself can help someone begin to slow down the hectic nature of their own world, or even their mind, in order to help them begin to process whatever stressors or stimuli that are going on in their lives so they can begin to understand and work through the resulting feelings and emotions. Understanding breathwork, its intended purposes, as well as how someone can implement such techniques in their daily lives can help someone not just begin to regain a sense of control over their own mind, but also begin to structure their days in a way that is geared towards their continued success in recovery.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is a breathing technique that can be utilized almost anywhere. It is a guided, two-stage breathing process that has someone focus on deep inhalations and controlled exhalations in order to seamlessly cycle between these two stages of breathing. These controlled breathing sessions can take any amount of allotted time, but are most effective when practiced for at least 15 minutes. Breathwork can be classified as a kind of meditation, but has many of its own unique properties. Breathwork doesn’t require someone to sit in silence, and instead, has them actively practicing their own bodily movements. It doesn’t require a dedicated space, however, it can still benefit from a curated, meditative environment. It is a simple technique that can be utilized and practiced in one’s own home or with guidance and still maintain its therapeutic value.
The Intended Effects of Breathwork
By focusing on one’s own breathing and creating a fluid, ongoing cycle between inhaling and exhaling in deep, full movements, breathwork can begin to help practitioners deconstruct their own clutter and business of their minds. First and foremost, it can provide those practicing breathwork the opportunity to think about their reactions to certain stimuli in their lives, and can help them confront the fallacy of needing to react to everything right away. Instead of having the mind dictate a “fight, flight, or freeze” response in every moment, breathwork instead introduces the idea that someone can take time and look internally before reacting to any potential stressors in their lives.
In a sense, breathwork can help practitioners begin to detach from their outside world, and instead, focus on their own homeostasis internally. By not allowing the mind to act solely on its instinctual responses, someone can begin to exercise greater control over their daily lives. This is represented in the breathing exercises themselves. In the same way that people are controlling how much they are inhaling, they can also monitor how many stimuli they are allowing themselves to experience before deeming themselves “full” and needing to exhale in a controlled way. Maintaining the rhythm dictated by one’s breathwork can also help them begin to maintain their own tempo in their minds, which can translate to their overall responses to their outside stimuli.
Breathwork also carries many introspective elements. For some people in recovery, it is possible to talk about one’s experiences and history with mental illness or substance abuse and the various ways in which it has impacted their lives without ever confronting the root of the issue. By slowing down and controlling breathing and bodily processes, it is also possible to trick the mind into letting down its guard as well, allowing practitioners to explore their own barriers and insecurities that may have long remained invisible, whether to professionals or even the practitioner themselves. Allowing the mind to be vulnerable also allows it to then overcome and conquer these issues rather than feeling like it has to maintain a constant and vigilant defensive mindset.
Implementation into Daily Routines
Practicing breathwork also has additional benefits that allow it to be utilized in many different situations. While it is important to practice breathwork with instructors the first few times, once someone has learned and internalized the process and results of the practice, they can utilize the technique completely autonomously. It can be woven into schedules due to its flexibility for the length of its sessions and doesn’t necessarily demand someone to acquire any other tools to utilize the technique. Not only does practicing breathwork on a regular basis allow someone to process the internal struggles within their mind, but it can also be utilized to help someone grasp with stressors that may have occurred in the same day, and provide their minds with time to process and objectively respond to such stressors in a healthy, productive way rather than relying on the anxieties of one’s instinct.
Finding personal and effective coping strategies is just one way in which START UP RECOVERY can help you begin to take control of your own life, starting one day at a time. If you or a loved one are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol or experiencing difficulties coping with mental illness, Start Up RECOVERY can help you establish your own most effective coping techniques. Residents at START UP RECOVERY will experience the luxury the facility has to offer in order to help each person feel as comfortable as possible as they explore their own goals and vulnerabilities in recovery. Curated programs can be individualized, and a sense of fellowship and community helps each person find their own identities while still maintaining a crucial sense of camaraderie. For more information on how START UP RECOVERY can help you take recovery into your own hands, or to speak to a trained professional about your unique situation, call us today at (310) 773-3809.