Mindfulness-based interventions are complementary and integrative health interventions, widely used for mental health. However, while these interventions show significant benefits for veterans, veterans are more likely to drop out of mindfulness-based interventions than other treatments. This study aimed to evaluate veterans' motivations for and long-term engagement in mindfulness practices...
OBJECTIVE. Evaluate the efficacy of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) for past and current military personnel prescribed long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) for chronic pain. METHODS. In a clinical trial, 230 past and current U.S. military personnel prescribed LTOT were randomized (1:1) to MORE or supportive psychotherapy (in-person and then online via Zoom after onset of COVID-19)....
Neuropsychopharmacologic effects of long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) in the context of chronic pain may result in subjective anhedonia coupled with decreased attention to natural rewards. Yet, there are no known efficacious treatments for anhedonia and reward deficits associated with chronic opioid use. Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), a novel behavioral intervention combining...
BACKGROUND: Disordered eating is prevalent among US Military Veterans who have a high incidence of obesity, diabetes, and mental illness. Mindfulness is an evidenced-based intervention for some mental health disorders, is well received by Veterans, and may be useful in treating disordered eating behavior in this population. The aim of this study was to assess and describe Veterans' experience...
In recent years, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have experienced exponential growth in terms of development, application, and research. However, few studies have examined implementation and efficacy of these interventions in particular populations, such as military Veterans. Such studies are needed as one cannot assume that the literature on MBIs implemented with the general population...
Veterans experience chronic pain at greater rates than the rest of society and are more likely to receive long-term opioid therapy (LTOT), which, at high doses, is theorized to induce maladaptive neuroplastic changes that attenuate self-regulatory capacity and exacerbate opioid dose escalation. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to modulate frontal midline theta (FMT) and alpha oscillations...
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate utilization and outcomes of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) provided to veterans with psychiatric disorders. Design: Retrospective chart review. Settings: Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). Subjects: Ninety-eight veterans with psychiatric illness who were enrolled in an MBCT class between May of 2012 and January of 2016....
Mindfulness is the dispassionate, moment-by-moment awareness of sensations, emotions and thoughts. Mindfulness-based interventions are being increasingly used for stress, psychological well being, coping with chronic illness as well as adjunctive treatments for psychiatric disorders. However, the neural mechanisms associated with mindfulness have not been well characterized. Recent functional...
Mindfulness has been described as a practice of learning to focus attention on moment-bymoment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance. Mindfulness practices have become increasingly popular as complementary therapeutic strategies for a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions. This paper provides an overview of three mindfulness interventions that have...
Bipolar depression is often refractory to treatment and is frequently associated with anxiety symptoms and elevated suicide risk. There is a great need for adjunctive psychotherapeutic interventions. Treatments with effectiveness for depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as suicide-related thoughts and behaviors would be particularly beneficial. Mindfulness-based interventions hold promise,...