Harm Reduction: Using Mindfulness to Manage Your Substance Use

A few posts ago, we gave you a brief intro to Harm Reduction strategies (if you didn’t catch that article, you can find it here) and now we want to go into more detail about the different strategies you can use to help manage your substance use.

As a reminder, harm reduction aims to help people manage their substance use more effectively by reducing the negative consequences associated with it. This approach developed as an alternative to the sobriety-only model that has been used in treatment and recovery circles for years.

The first harm reduction strategy we will examine in today’s article is mindfulness. I’m sure most of you have heard of mindfulness, which is just being present, in the moment, on purpose, and compassionately.

Mindfulness is not just a strategy but is a fundamental shift in how we interact with our experiences, emotions, and thoughts. For me, mindfulness practices has changed my life and that is not hyperbole. I am significantly more compassionate and equanimous since beginning mindfulness practice and it has helped me to be better at work, at home, and with myself in my own head.

SO HOW DO WE APPLY SOMETHING LIKE MINDFULNESS TO OUR SUBSTANCE USE? THE FIRST STEP IS TO DEVELOP YOUR OWN MINDFULNESS PRACTICE(S). THIS WILL PROBABLY LOOK DIFFERENT FOR ALL OF US BUT SOME TYPE OF FORMAL MINDFULNESS TRAINING, LIKE MEDITATION OR YOGA, IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT SUPPORTS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRAIN STRUCTURES AND CONNECTIONS NEEDED TO MAKE MINDFUL PRESENCE MORE EFFORTLESS.

There are many ways to build mindfulness including just purposely being mindful as you do whatever it is you might normally do but having a formal mindfulness training exercise will go a long way in making mindfulness more of a personal trait than an exercise. We essentially want to build the brain’s muscle memory for being mindful so that when we try to become mindful under stress or excitement, it’s more effective.

NEXT, WE’LL WANT TO BUILD MINDFULNESS OF OUR SUBSTANCE USE PATTERNS SPECIFICALLY SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PATTERNS OF USE. WE’LL ALSO WANT TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE TIMES THAT WE OVER-INDULGE AND CAUSE OURSELVES NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES LIKE A BAD HANGOVER, SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY, OR NOT MEETING OUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES.

There are many ways to build mindfulness of our substance use patterns. Essentially we’re just going to start paying attention, on purpose, and compassionately to how we use, when we use, and when we experience negative consequences from our use. The point of this is not to judge (remember part of mindfulness is compassion) but to understand ourselves and our patterns better so that we can reduce any negative impact.

I do have a few tips about how to best help yourself build mindfulness patterns for the first time. One of the biggest challenges initially is just to remember to do it so first, you’ll want to find ways to remind yourself to be mindful. You can accomplish this through the use of reminders on your phone or computer, sticky notes in places where you normally look throughout your day, or even asking a friend or your therapist to hold you accountable.

You’ll also want to remember the patterns that you notice as you build mindfulness. I believe the best way to do this (and to see other connections) is to write everything down. You can do this physically in a notebook or even just jotting down notes in your phone. You’ll also want to review your notes from time to time so that you can jog your memory and build insight into yourself.

Once you start paying more attention to your use and understanding your own patterns better, then you want to identify your hot spots or trouble areas. What we’re looking for is the negative consequences of our substance use. This could be things like the physical affects of overindulgence, arguments with our partner, spending more than what we can afford, or using until we’re out of control.

Once you’ve identified these problem areas, then we have a lot of great information to develop an intervention. Perhaps we decide we’ll have water between drinks if we go to the bar with friends. Or we’ll set a timer before we allow ourselves another drink or bump in order to help pace ourselves. The options of what you can do to mitigate those trouble spots are really endless.

Don’t worry if things don’t work right away. Mindfulness, like any other habit, takes time to develop and work at its optimal level. The point is to practice and to keep trying - you will get better at seeing yourself coming so you can intervene before there’s a problem. And so you can have fun, enjoy substances, and not have to deal with any drama.

If you are struggling to manage your substance use, please contact us to receive support.

(Disclaimer: These strategies are not intended to replace therapy or treatment and do not work for everyone. If you are completely unable to mitigate or manage your use then it might be an indication that professional support is needed.)

Fill our our new client inquiry if you’d like to work with us or contact us if you need resources or have questions.