Any kind of addiction can be helped by the discipline and health of regular Yoga practice. If you are trying to heal from an addiction, do everything you can to become healthy - starting with Yoga. Yoga will teach you techniques that you can use throughout the day to reinforce healthy habits. Most importantly, Yoga will shift your attention from the pain of withdrawal to the reassurance of knowing that you are on your way to recognizing the strength and power to change that is already a part of you. Addiction does not destroy your strength; it makes you forget about it. Yoga helps you remember and use it to grow healthy again. Besides the so-called "hard" drugs, there are several other addictive substances that can be harmful to the body and mind:
Caffeine. Caffeine is a potent drug. Besides its addictive properties, it is toxic to some people. The symptoms of caffeine toxicity resemble anxiety neurosis and are often misdiagnosed. Toxicity does not depend on ingesting large quantities of caffeine, either. Some people are sensitive to the relatively small amount of caffeine in just one cup of coffee or tea.
Because Yoga acts as a natural "stimulant" by increasing your energy level, you may find yourself cutting down on your caffeine intake without making a conscious decision to do so. As a general rule, you'll find that as you become stronger and healthier, your body will naturally tend to reject things that will harm it.
Sleeping Aids. These drugs interfere with your body's natural sleep cycle and create a psychological dependence on the substance for going to sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, practice your Complete Breath and the relaxation and meditation procedures lying in bed. Many people have found this extremely helpful for getting back into a normal cycle of adequate rest at night. Often an inability to fall asleep simply means that you are unable to stop thinking about work; Yoga practice can teach you to stop working when you wish to.
Nicotine. If you're trying to stop smoking, the hardest part is finding a substitute for a cigarette when you feel under stress. The Complete Breath technique is your best weapon against the urge to smoke. Simply start breathing deeply, and focus on the sound of the breath without thinking of anything else for a minute or two. The Complete Breath will relax you, take your mind temporarily off whatever is causing the stress reaction, and give you time to recover. You can do this breathing technique anywhere, anytime, and no one has to know you're doing it.
In addition to practicing the Complete Breath whenever you can, do your regular Yoga routine daily to build up resistance to stress. As you learn new ways of coping, your craving for nicotine will diminish.
Sugar. Although sugar is not a true chemical addiction, too much of it will cause your body to look for more as a substitute for what it really needs - energy to function. When you feel a craving for sugar, your body is asking for an energy boost. If you feed it sugar, you are giving it a "quick fix," but you will pay the price in an energy let-down later. Instead, give your body extra protein and B-vitamins, and practice your Yoga workout every day. You'll soon find yourself naturally reducing the amount of sweet things that you consume.
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