We wrote about the problem of addiction and how meditation can help here. But now we wanted to look into something else. Can your yoga or meditation practice be too much of a good thing? Is it possible to overdo it? Or, let’s put it like this – can you really get addicted to yoga and meditation?
You can get addicted to yoga if you treat it as a mere workout. If you take yoga for what it actually is, something far deeper than just the poses, in that case you can’t because by definition, yoga means the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind, addictions included. The same goes for meditation. If you manage to include meditation in different parts of your life, a deep breath here and there, you’re good. However, if you spend time meditating instead of going to work or paying your bills, then yes, you might have a problem. How to tell? Know what you are doing and why you are doing it. You “shouldn’t” need anything too bad, because then it becomes over attachment. And both Yogic and Buddhist scripts are rather clear about the principle on non-attachment or non-craving.
Official Definition and Criteria for What Constitutes an Addiction
Not to use the word ‘addicted’ too loosely, we need to look at the definition of addiction.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is “a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking, continued use despite harmful consequences, and long-lasting changes in the brain.”
We also need to consult the criteria or symptoms of addiction outlined by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, or DSM-5. The American Psychiatric Association issued this publication and hundreds of mental health experts crafted it based on decades of research. They came up with the following criteria or symptoms for addictions as explained by the Addiction Policy Forum:
1. Impaired Control:
- Using more of a substance or more often than intended
- Wanting to cut down or stop using but not being able to
2. Social Problems:
- Neglecting responsibilities and relationships
- Giving up activities they used to care about because of their substance abuse
- Inability to complete tasks at home, school or work
3. Risky Use:
- Using in risky settings
- Continued use despite known problems
4. Physical Dependence:
- You need more of the substance to get the same effect (tolerance)
- You have withdrawal symptoms when you aren’t using the substance
I can see how one can use their practice more than intended or want to stop but be unable to. I can also see how one can choose to do yoga rather than deal with some other responsibilities.
The third point about risky settings can apply if you want to do a handstand at the edge of a cliff for your Instagram or choose to meditate at times when it’s completely inappropriate. Or if you decide to spend more on your yoga apparel and certificates instead of using that money to pay the bills. Needing to do more and more yoga – yes, been there, and ‘withdrawal symptoms’ i.e. being cranky because you’re not getting your feel good hormones when you don’t exercise can happen as well.
But Here’s the Catch
All the above apply if we use yoga as a form of exercise, i.e. if we only practice asanas. And yoga is much more than that. Actually the definition of yoga is: Chitta-Vritti-Nirodha. ‘Chitta vritti’ means ‘fluctuations of the mind’ or ‘monkey mind’ colloquially put, and ‘nirodha’ means cessation. So, yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.
Addictions are a form of fluctuations of the mind. They are one of the vrittis of our chitta. Yoga eliminates or nullifies these vritts from our chitta. So, if you practice yoga in the way it Patanjali intended, then no, you can’t get addicted to yoga. On the contrary, it will remove these types of addictive thoughts.
Deborah Kirkpatrick, facilitator at Move With Change, shared with us the following: “Yoga and meditation, when done with intention and focus, will by nature have the opposite effect of addiction. That said, I think a person could easily turn to yoga as a workout addiction as well. We can consider all of these negative manifestations as addictions if a person practices without things like honesty, mindfulness, gentleness, acceptance, compassion for themselves and others, etc.”
Practicing Non-attachment
Aparigraha, or non-greed or non-attachment, is one of the Yamas (ethical guidelines) in the Eight Limbs of Yoga. So, getting addicted to yoga means it’s not yoga any more, since one of the prescriptions of yoga is a lack of attachment. It merely means you formed an addiction to exercising.
As Tanvi Joshi, a yoga teacher at thehouseofyogis_india shared with us:
“We were taught during TTC (teacher training course) that addictions/attachment even to yoga practice is not good. One must always have a healthy relationship where in our daily life, where adaptation to changes are seamless.
Each time my mind has turned negative when I see others practice daily and I can’t, due to my responsibilities, injury and/or travel, I begin to practice the yoga philosophy / mindfulness / or breathing exercises. Isn’t that yoga too?”
Addictions vs. Compulsions
Addiction refers to becoming dependent on a particular substance or behavior, while compulsion is the intense urge to do something.
Very Well Mind: “Compulsions do play a role in the addiction process. As an addiction develops, it often will involve a feeling of compulsion to take an addictive substance, such as alcohol or heroin, or to carry out an addictive behavior, such as gambling or sex.” So, there is a thin line between these two.
Compulsions and Yoga
For those struggling with OCD and compulsions, it might seem that yoga can become another compulsion. We spoke to Kaya Mindlin, yoga educator and yoga therapist, who said: “I have worked with many people struggling with addiction who have found authentic and holistic yoga to be the key to long term change.
However, things that are being sold as “yoga” in yogaland certainly could potentially fuel compulsive behavior. From fixation on body image or accomplishing asanas as a goal, shaming, fad diets, and spiritual bypassing type thinking that are popular in yogaland can fuel compulsion and dependency. ”
Brandy Slagowski Hawkins, who is finishing her 200 hour yoga teacher training, added that:
“Asana could become compulsive. This is a very complex and complicated topic. There is a ritual involved for people with OCD. There are triggers for people with addictive traits to their personalities and there is repetition that becomes a habit as well. “Addiction” or compulsion could come from any of those.”
Why do you do what you do
Brandy added: “What really becomes important is the reason. Why the individual is choosing to use this method for satisfaction of something, say the endorphins produced from exercise can become heavily relied upon by someone needing that type of “boost”. So you do have physical and psychological dependence possibilities.
People use running, dancing, aerobics, etc and those endorphins and dopamine all the time… and become addicted to their presence in the body during particular events.
I’m sure it happens as well with those that exercise due to eating disorders and body dysmorphia. I can see this more than anything – I used yoga to lose almost 100lbs over the past 8 years due to medications. And I would say that I almost have a compulsion to exercise now. I have created a habit with my practice. I do have a body dysmorphic issue associated with anorexia from my teen years all through my life. So it depends on the person and also their predisposition to addictive or compulsive behaviors.”
More on OCD and Yoga
We asked another yoga teacher who has OCD to share her views on practicing yoga:
“It hasn’t happened to me or anyone I know. But think about compulsive behaviors …anything can become compulsive for example, if you have OCD. If something is used to relieve anxiety following obsessive thoughts then one might need to do it again more and more. The thing that starts off being a helper, a reliever of anxiety takes over the persons waking hours. It takes over completely, it has to be done! Could be yoga, could be opening and closing your letter box. OCD is related to Body Dysmorphic Disorder and eating disorders. Exercise is used to ‘fix’.
The key is the balance part. Anything can become addictive/compulsive. It’s not about the substance or the subject. It’s about how it’s used.
Many people who live with addictions and mental health conditions can benefit from yoga and meditation. I have OCD and was really frightened that some of the things I do in yoga would become addictive/compulsive because no one enjoys an addiction. It’s an illness. But yoga has pretty much always been my helper, thankfully.”
Can You Get Addicted to Meditation?
So far, we’ve mostly focused on yoga. Now, let’s look into meditation alone.
Just like with yoga, it is possible to get addicted because of the feel good hormones that get released during meditation. However, your neurological system needs these hormones, otherwise you’d feel depressed, lethargic and what not. So, if you are going to get it from somewhere, it might as well be from meditation. Just of course, be mindful throughout the rest of your day too, and not just during your meditation practice. Ideally, you’d carry your practice with you into your day, away from your meditation cushion.
Also, craving your spiritual bliss and meditating in the hopes of recreating it again and again is not the best idea because with meditation you “should” let go and have no expectations.
Also, some people use meditation to escape their outer reality. It helps them to ease their struggles. If this is the reason we meditate, this ain’t great either. Sure we all have our own bubbles. But at some point we are should meet with reality as it is and accept it. As some yoga teachers say at the end of their classes: “May we be in peace and harmony with ourselves and our environment.” So, “use” meditation to be accepting or reality as it is, and not to gain a temporary relief from it.
Habits vs Addictions
Forming a healthy habit is one thing. Even monks meditating in caves had to have a habit of meditating for many hours a day. Being addicted to your yoga practicing habit is something else. It seems like a thin line. How to tell the difference between the two?
Can you make it through the day without your practice?
Are you dependent on your practice to feel okay with yourself?
Are there any other tasks in your life that are suffering because of your practice?
Do you feel like you’re running away from an unsavory reality?
Can you apply the anti-addiction philosophical principles of yoga and meditation such as non-attachment?
If some of the above questions made you feel uneasy about your practice, this does not have to mean you are in trouble. Those monks sure took time to be where they needed to be, so go easy on yourself. You live in a real world after all exposed to all sorts of stressors they do not have. So, it’s okay you need a boost in your day. Just make sure that you:
- Can stop any time you want to.
- Don’t practice in risky situations
- Don’t neglect your responsibilities and relationships
As for physical dependence, which is the DSM-5’s criteria No.4, we have a neurological programming for some level of it, just like with anything else. But again, make sure you can control it and keep it moderate.
Conclusion
The best approach to not getting addicted to yoga or meditation would be practicing it with the “Wouldn’t it be nice?” mindset. Or, “Yes, I could practice, but I don’t have to.” In Nonviolent mindful communication (which we wrote about here), Marshall Rosenberg said that making requests in communication should be like putting flowers on your table. Translated to your practice, it means that your practice should be the cherry on the cake. But it could be a long way to get there. So, take what you can get. Just keep it moderate.
Tatjana Glogovac, Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
Learn more about Tatjana by reading her bio below.
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