Did you know that your body is constantly trying to communicate with you? Your body is constantly sharing internal, physiological signals, which happen to be your body’s way of conveying a specific message to you. Some physiological signals, such as a racing heartbeat, may have a more obvious cause like stress or anxiety. Yet, we often focus on identifying the cause of such a signal rather than the impact it has on our well-being. The key to identifying the impact of these signals is being in tune with your body.
Alcohol and other drug use inevitably affect our ability to be in tune with our bodies well. Substance abuse clouds our judgment, impairs our thought patterns, and torments us to continue using during the times we are sober. In other words, we cannot be in active addiction and be in tune with our bodies well – the two just do not coexist. Thus, learning how to be in tune with your body is an important part of successful addiction treatment and recovery.
At Renaissance Ranch, we believe in the value of holistic, whole-person treatment approaches alongside evidence-based therapies because we know how effective they can be in assisting individuals who are learning how to be in tune with their bodies. Being in tune with your body is a process that takes both time and a commitment to wellness; one that often begins with detoxification from alcohol and other drug abuse. Once sobriety is established, a combination of professional treatment and lifestyle changes can support being in tune with your body to aid in long-lasting recovery and well-being.
Our team of professionals is here to support you every step of the way.
How Do Alcohol and Drugs Affect Our Ability to Be in Tune With Our Bodies?
Our bodies are driven by homeostasis. According to Frontiers in Psychology, “Homeostasis, as currently defined, is a self-regulating process by which biological systems maintain stability while adjusting to changing external conditions.” Many things influence homeostasis, including mental, physical, emotional, and neurochemical factors. In daily life, our internal systems and cognitive judgment communicate with one another and work together to effectively respond to these factors and stabilize the body.
Unsurprisingly, alcohol and drug abuse can affect homeostasis in intense ways. For instance, substance intoxication can induce hormonal disturbances and errors in communication processing that impair the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis. In other words, during substance use, the body is quite literally unable to attain balance in its internal systems. Oftentimes, such dysfunction can continue beyond intoxication as the body tries to attain balance during withdrawal and abstinence.
Being in tune with your body is challenging enough as it is. When alcohol and other drug addiction are involved, however, affects an individual’s ability to be in tune with their body no matter how hard they try. Life-sustaining physiological signals, such as a rumbling stomach, may become habitually ignored to satisfy continued substance cravings. Similarly, habits that are essential for well-being, such as exercise and mindfulness activities, are placed on the back burner in addiction, putting an individual at risk of worsening health consequences.
Gaining Control Back in Recovery: How to Be in Tune With Your Body
Simply put, being in tune with your body means paying attention to it and listening to what it has to say. It is going a step beyond identifying the cause of different feelings and sensations to recognize the impact it has on our functioning and daily lives. Phrases like mind-body awareness or body-based awareness refer to the intentional effort of being in tune with your body.
In addiction recovery, becoming in tune with your body is the process of getting control back over the things that alcohol and other drugs once had control over. One of these things is self-awareness, which is often robbed as a result of addiction. By participating in holistic activities that focus on restoring power and awareness in addiction treatment, individuals can feel confident in their journey to becoming in tune with their bodies.
Some whole-person approaches and activities that can be beneficial for tuning into your body include:
- Meditation and yoga: These practices encourage an individual to focus on their sensations and experiences in the present moment, thus deepening their connection to their body
- Prayer: God speaks to us through solitude. Spending time in prayer can allow the Holy Spirit to move through us and help us recognize what our body needs
- Physical activities: Finding time to exercise and engage in movement can be valuable opportunities for individuals to tune into their bodies and analyze how they respond to physical demands and stress
- Sleep: Believe it or not, prioritizing sleep and rest can ensure that we can accurately identify what our bodies are trying to tell us. In other words, when we are not getting good sleep, we cannot be confident in our ability to listen to our body’s internal messages
Tune Into Your Body at Renaissance Ranch
At Renaissance Ranch, we believe that learning how to listen and tune into your body is essential for long-lasting sobriety and recovery. Our treatment center for adult men is committed to empowering clients in implementing activities for tuning into their bodies as part of their daily treatment regimen and overall sober lifestyle. No matter where you are on your journey to recovery, our services can be individualized to meet you where you are. Together, we can thrive in sobriety and leave the grips of substance abuse in the past.
Tuning into your body is an ongoing process that requires you to engage in healthy lifestyle activities and lean into solitude. For many, detoxification is the first step in this journey, as individuals cannot accurately identify the messages that their bodies are trying to convey to them when under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. At Renaissance Ranch, we believe that holistic, whole-person treatment approaches are just as essential as evidence-based treatments for overcoming addiction. We offer a plethora of treatment services and programs to meet clients where they are on their journey to recovery. To learn more about our treatment programs for adult men, reach out to us today at (801) 308-8898.