Mindfulness Series - Part 2 of 4
Part 1: What Is Mindfulness in Recovery
Part 2: Mindfulness and the Brain ← you’re here
Part 3: Observing Thoughts and Urges
Part 4: Making Mindfulness a Daily Practice
Your Brain on Autopilot
Most of us move through the day in reaction mode, pulled by thoughts, emotions, stress, and habits we don’t even notice.
In recovery, that’s especially true. Cravings and triggers can hit fast. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re halfway through a drink wondering how it happened.
The thing is: the way you respond to stress and cravings isn’t locked in. Your brain can change. You can retrain it. And mindfulness is one of the most powerful ways to do that.
What Happens in the Brain During a Craving
When a craving shows up, here’s what’s firing off behind the scenes:
- The amygdala (your stress alarm) blares “Fix this now.”
- The striatum (habits and rewards) jumps in with the old loop: drink = relief.
- The prefrontal cortex (logic and impulse control) goes quiet.
That’s why “thinking your way out” of a craving rarely works. The very part of your brain that could talk you down isn’t in charge in that moment.
How Mindfulness Shifts the Brain
It Calms the Amygdala (Your Stress Alarm)
Regular practice lowers the volume on your stress response. Over time, cravings and stress don’t hit with the same force because your alarm system isn’t overreacting to every signal.
It Strengthens the Prefrontal Cortex (Your Control Center)
This is the part that helps you pause, think, and make better choices. Mindfulness activates and strengthens it, creating that gap between craving and response.
It Balances the Default Mode Network (Your Mental Chatter)
This network drives mind-wandering and overthinking. When it’s overactive, you get caught in loops like:
- “I need a drink to calm down.”
- “I’ll never stay sober.”
- “This feeling will never end.”
Mindfulness quiets that background noise so you can stay in the present instead of spiraling.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Before mindfulness:
Stressful day → irritation → craving
Thought: “I need a drink” → tension → impulsive reaction
After regular practice:
Stressful day → notice tension early → use breath to reset
Thought: “I need a drink” → observe without acting → craving fades
It’s not about never feeling stress. It’s about not letting stress run the show.
Mindfulness and the Relaxation Response
Mindfulness doesn’t just change your brain, it shifts your body too. When you slow down and focus on the present:
- Breathing deepens
- Heart rate slows
- Blood pressure drops
- The body moves into rest-and-digest
This physical calm is the opposite of the state that fuels cravings.
Mindfulness and Urge Surfing
A core practice you’ll hear about in Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) is urge surfing. We’ll unpack the step-by-step practice in Part 3, but here’s why it works on a biological level: when you stop treating cravings like emergencies, you calm the amygdala, strengthen the prefrontal cortex, and let the body’s stress response settle down.
Why This Matters for High Performers
If you’re wired for high performance, stress might feel “normal.” But your body often tells a different story: tight jaw, racing thoughts at night, constant pressure to push harder.
Mindfulness helps you:
- Stay composed under pressure
- Reset faster
- Keep stress from fueling cravings
- Stay connected to your real needs
This isn’t about being calm for the sake of it. It’s about self-regulation you can trust, without relying on willpower alone.
Mindfulness Rewires Cravings at the Source
Cravings show up in thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and habits. Mindfulness works on all of them:
- Thoughts: “I need something to take the edge off”
- Emotions: anxiety, boredom, restlessness
- Body: tight chest, jittery energy
- Habits: stress → automatic urge → relief behavior
When you can spot a craving before it takes over, you gain freedom to choose instead of reacting on autopilot.
A Practice to Try: The 3-Minute Craving Reset
Use this when you feel tension or restlessness creeping in:
- Pause and Sit Upright: feet on the floor, hands relaxed
- Breathe Slowly: inhale for 4, exhale for 6, repeat 6–10 times
- Notice the Urge: where do you feel it? Watch it rise and fall
- Remind Yourself: “This is just a sensation. It will pass.”
The Power Is in the Pause
Cravings aren’t weakness. They’re signals from your brain and body.
Mindfulness helps you change your response to those signals, one breath at a time.
Over time, you gain:
- Less reactivity
- More clarity
- Stronger self-control
- A steady confidence no drink can give you
The power is in the pause. You can tap into it any time you’re willing to stop, notice, and stay with yourself.
— Brent
Next up: Observing Thoughts and Urges