In a certain way meditation and addiction are opposite; ‘Meditation is check-in with the here and now’, while ‘addiction is check-out the here and now’. By giving them more control over the emotion and introspection into themselves, meditation can be a powerful tool for addicts at all stages of recovery. There is plenty of evidence that meditation plays a number of remarkable roles in helping heal addiction.

Meditation teaches how to make choices. As craving continues to arise, especially in early recovery, individual can observe their thoughts and desires without having to act on them. Recovering addicts learn that they are not responsible for their thoughts but they are responsible for how they react to those thoughts. Through meditation they can acknowledge their addictive thoughts without trying to push them away, yet choose the path of recovery. The mental clarity that comes from the practice of meditation makes it easier for addicts to make healthy choices that support their recovery. People in early recovery typically experience mood swings, describe by some as an emotional roller-costar. By training the mind to focus on one thing – a sound, a word, breathe –at a time. Meditation helps recovering addicts maintain a degree of emotion balance.