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Mindfulness for Recovery

The use of intoxicants as part of ‘Buddhist Recovery’

The use of intoxicants on the Buddhist path has always been a contentious issue.

However, the Buddha’s advice for everyone contained in the 5th Precept is really quite clear and quite simple; if you want to avoid suffering then you should avoid intoxicants.

For addicts, there are many paths that lead to healing, health and recovery including the approach that is sometimes called ‘Buddhist recovery’ or ‘recovery in a Buddhist context’.

Personal experience informs us that ‘paying attention’ is not the easiest skill to maintain even when sober.  Furthermore, it is difficult - if not impossible - for an ordinary human being to maintain ‘mindfulness’ while under the influence of even small amounts of alcohol or other drugs.

For non-addicts the use of intoxicants may simply mean a loss of mental clarity to a lesser or greater degree.  But for an addict ‘in recovery’ the use of any intoxicants – alcohol or other drugs - may significantly increase the chances of relapse.  A small number of cases of relapse will lead to death.

It is the 5th Precept Organisation’s belief that the use of intoxicants during recovery is a hazardous practice that causes further harm to individuals and families; potentially leading to unnecessary and avoidable deaths.

Therefore, it is misleading and dangerous for any individual or organisation to promote or consent to the use of intoxicants as being either ‘Buddhist recovery’ or ‘recovery in a Buddhist context’.

Related resources:

Webpage : A Discipline of Sobriety by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Webpage : Drugs are Darkness - A Poem by Tiffany Jean Little.

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