Techniques

There are an abundance of techniques to cope with errant difficulties that arise in life, to shed past behaviors, and to grow. It is vital for the addict to learn how to cope, how to become aware of thoughts and emotions, and how to "get out of yourself". Our problems arise from within and are often the result of distorted thinking or past defense mechanisms we developed in our using days. By opening up to others and by becoming aware of what we think and feel, we learn to overcome the past and deal with the present in a rational, peaceful manner.

The CR Program
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Meditation
Focused Meditation / Self Hypnosis
Mind Machines

The CR Program

If you follow this program and make it part of your life, your life will become better than you can imagine. This is a simple program but it will take work to follow it. Being non-judgmental and living mindfully are not the usual way we live in this busy world. It takes focus, desire, and patience to achieve success. Acceptance is the key. Acceptance of life as it comes to you.
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CBT Self Checks

Throughout your day, be aware of your thoughts and emotions. Use the Distorted Thinking checklist to crosscheck what is going on inside of you. Your inner addict is subtle and clever. It will use every thought and emotion it can to sabotage you. The more you are aware of HOW you are thinking and feeling, the better off you will be. The CR book goes into more detail about these and you can also find more info about them on CBT internet sites. Everytime you are feeling or thinking something negative, pause and run through this list in your mind. I carry it in my wallet so I can pull it out and refer to it. In most cases, you'll easily identify what is going on in your head. You may not be able to immediately resolve it but you will feel better that you know what is going on and often that alone can move you back onto a level track.


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Meditation

Meditation is an extraordinarily powerful way to find peace in your life. With as little as five or ten minutes a day, every day, you will find yourself relaxing more, accepting more, and enjoying life more. You will become more effective, more peaceful, more compassionate, and able to live more mindfully than you ever were before. But, it takes doing it every day! Take advantage of this simple and easy way to improve your life. Spend even just 5 minutes each morning and evening meditating and you WILL start to see beneficial changes.

The CR book gives several ways to meditate and you can find a lot more books and internet sites on the subject but the single most effective technique I use many times a day is my "Instant Nirvana" break. Stupid name, perhaps, but it just got stuck in my head that way! Eckhart Tolle describes this method in his book, "The Power of Now".    

We are thinking creatures that think way too much. Practice finding that gap between thoughts and just hold onto it! You may just be able to hold onto a second or two of "no thoughts" but that is beneficial and that amount of time will increase the more you practice.

I use this technique many times a day. If I'm anxious, afraid, worried, bored, or whatever I'm feeling, I do this and things slack off. I relax and often I'll just find a little smile on my face for no reason at all. All you need to do is grab that instant between thoughts and "live" there for a moment. Often you will find yourself suspended in a quiet, peaceful place for a few moments, your neck and shoulders relaxing, your mind and emotions quieter afterwards.

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Focused Meditation / Self-Hypnosis

Self-hypnosis has a mixed review historically but can be a powerful technique to amplify your efforts to recover and shed negative behaviors. It is essentially a focused meditation. There are many different ways to achieve a receptive state but here is one effective technique:

1. Find a comfortable place and relax
- Find a room somewhere that is quiet and you will have privacy.
- Either lie down flat or lean back in a recliner, however you are most comfortable
- Let your arms and legs relax and not cross one another.
- Shift about until you feel comfortable. Try to have your spine straight rather than twisted to one side.

2. Physical induction
- Start taking slow, deep breaths
- As you inhale, think "With each breath..."
- As you exhale, think "...I relax more and more."
- Just be aware of breathing and after awhile your breaths will come slower and naturally. Don't try to force deep breathing, just let your body take over but stay mentally aware of each breath and continue repeating the inhale/exhale thoughts.
- As you breath effortlessly, mentally focus on each part of your body, starting with your head and scalp and relax any muscles that feel tense. Continue down through your face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, stomach, hips, legs, and feet. Start at your head again and move your awareness down the back of your head through your neck and all the way down your spine. Do this several times to completely relax. There is no hurry so feel free to do this exercise several times.

3. Mental induction
- When you are deeply relaxed you are already partially relaxed mentally.
- if your eyes are not closed, close them and just be aware of your relaxed body. When thoughts come up, just notice them and let them go.
- Don't try actively to "not think" but just let thoughts float away
- Become aware of each breath and ...
- As you inhale, think "With each breath..."
- As you exhale, think "I sink deeper and deeper."
- After a period of time your body will feel heavy and relaxed, your thoughts will come slowly.

4. Affirmations
- You are ready to repeat positive affirmations. Either do this mentally or have a tape/CD running. In practice, I usually make a CD that will have 10 minutes of silence in the beginning to allow me to relax and sink into the meditative, receptive state that the first three steps accomplish. The CD then starts going through the affirmations with my not needing to do anything but sit there and listen in a dreamlike state. If you want to do it "manually", just start repeating a list of affirmations that you want to focus on this session. I usually have some tranquil music playing in the background or just nature sounds such as ocean waves, a stream, wind, or something similar.

5. When you are finished, start breathing slowly and deeply again, stretch your arms, legs, and back slowly. Open your eyes and feel yourself relaxed and aware and positive.

This is a very powerful technique that can be used to deal with just about anything you want to work on whether it is anxiety, addictions, fear, self-consciousness, and so on. Below are two affirmation "scripts" that you might want to use or adapt. Note the use of "you" instead of "I". For some reason, referring to yourself in the 2nd person is much more effective. You can easily create your own scripts. Just be sure to always be positive. Avoid using the word "not" or any other negativity. For example, instead of saying "I do not like to smoke cigarettes." it is more effective to say something like "I love the clean, pure air I breathe."

There are a lot of books and internet sites that deal with self hypnosis. You can find many free scripts that can be adapted for your own use.

Positiveness
You have no unnecessary fear of failure.
You have no unnecessary anxiety.
You find it easy to discard negative thoughts and attitudes about yourself.
You always think of yourself in a positive way.
You expect to succeed because you are a naturally successful person.
You work hard to succeed and you will succeed because you deserve to succeed.
You are tenacious and persevere with all your efforts towards success.
You plan for success and find success.
Your goals become closer with every day that passes.
You move steadily towards your goals.
You are more confident with each day that passes.
You are a worthwhile and loveable person.
You like yourself and deserve every good thing in life.
You are your own person, no one controls you.
You are forthright, trustworthy and honest.
You face fears and responsibilities.
You are always relaxed and assured in everything you do.
You are enthusiastic and positive about your life.
You look forward to change.

CR Affirmations
You can accept that you are less than a perfect human being. You do make mistakes like any other human. If you make a mistake it doesn't mean you ARE a mistake.
Because you want a specific thing or for people to behave in specific ways doesn't mean that will happen.
You can regret mistakes you have made, forgive yourself, learn from the mistake and choose not to blame yourself or others.
You have a mix of qualities, skills, and experiences. Some you consider good and some not so good. None of those totally define you because you am a mix of all of them.
Confidence is about accepting yourself as you are and accepting others as they are. It doesn't matter what happens, we are who we are.
You have a life-threatening mental obsession/compulsion that you can choose to NOT indulge in
You accept life as it comes. Acceptance is the key to living with joy and serenity. Acceptance is spirituality expressed.
The past is gone, tomorrow might not come, today is what matters.
You are what you think. Positive thoughts lift you up, negative thoughts take you down.
A happy, fulfilling life is something you want and will work for.
You are responsible for yourself and for your actions.
The more you give, the more you will receive.
You have the power to change yourself.

Mind Machines

Electronic meditation, you say? How convenient! Yes, it is convenient and it really works. Mind machines have been around for decades and are utilized for a variety of purposes. The technique is called AVS, or Audio Visual Stimulation. There are many manufacturers and models to choose from but most people don't need something expensive to accomplish simple but effective meditation. These machines can be utilized for a wide variety of purposes such as relaxation, sleep aids, release of pain, behavior modification, increased concentration and learning, and so on.

The power of mind machines is that they get you out of your own mind quickly, away from constant thinking. It gives you a break and can teach you to relax and let go. If you relax and just enjoy the lights and sounds then you are not thinking and that by itself is a benefit. The more you can find times to relax deeply and not think so much, the better off you are.

There are many different manufacturers of AVS and biofeedback equipment. Here are a few:


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