Integrative Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Improving Outcomes Through Evidence-based Practice of Yoga-derived Breathwork and Meditation.
Ameya Krishnan
Journal of Addiction Medicine DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001263 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Literature review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Sudarshan Kriya yoga |
| Topics | Addiction Breathwork Meditation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Integrating Sudarshan Kriya yoga into substance use treatment can improve recovery outcomes, including reduced substance use and improved well-being. |
Abstract
Among 20.4 million US adults diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs), up to 60% return to use despite treatment or attempted abstinence. Standard care for SUDs is pharmacotherapy and/or behavioral interventions in either an inpatient or outpatient setting. Both national and international epidemiological data suggest this approach to treatment is insufficient and use of an integrative protocol can better promote recovery. To determine the efficacy of integrating yoga-derived breathwork and meditation into substance use treatment with emphasis on a specific practice, Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY). Literature review conducted in PubMed, OVID, and SCOPUS. The initial search term was " Sudarshan Kriya" alone. Subsequent searches combined the search term " Sudarshan Kriya" with a series of substance use-related terms using AND to link the terms. SKY practice impacts quality of life, well-being, functioning, and substance use behavior. In patients with alcohol use disorder, SKY contributes to significant reduction in depressive symptoms, stress biomarkers, and alcohol use up to 6 months after treatment completion. SKY practitioners engaging in opioid partial agonist therapy may experience buprenorphine potentiation such that concurrent nonprescribed opioid use is eliminated. SKY practitioners can achieve tobacco cessation at a rate comparable to bupropion pharmacotherapy. SKY has established efficacy in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Currently available evidence also supports integration of SKY into the management of SUDs, and expanded SKY research can ensure optimal use of this promising intervention within this clinical subspecialty.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on breathwork, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama | 2018 | Review with original findings | |
| High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. | 2023 | Review | |
| Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Towards a more unified theory and practice | 2011 | Review | |
| A Practitioner’s Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | 2020 | Review | |
| Bhramari Pranayama as an aid to meditation: A review of classical yoga texts | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005
- Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2014
- Endogenous theta stimulation during meditation predicts reduced opioid dosing following treatment with Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement. Neuropsychopharmacology September 12, 2020
- Randomised clinical non-inferiority trial of breathing-based meditation and cognitive processing therapy for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. BMJ Open August 25, 2022
- Effect of meditation on autonomic function in healthy individuals: A longitudinal study. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care August 25, 2020
and 2 more in the library