Mindfulness-based treatment of addiction: current state of the field and envisioning the next wave of research.
Eric L Garland, Matthew O Howard
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice April 18, 2018 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-018-0115-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) |
| Topics | Addiction Meditation |
| Keywords | Automaticity Dissemination Dose–response Reward Smart |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that mindfulness-based interventions show promise for reducing substance misuse and craving, reportedly by modulating cognitive, affective, and psychophysiological processes tied to self-regulation and reward processing. They argue that efficacy is not yet firmly established and recommend further research on treatment optimization, dissemination, dose-response relationships, and research rigor. |
Abstract
Contemporary advances in addiction neuroscience have paralleled increasing interest in the ancient mental training practice of mindfulness meditation as a potential therapy for addiction. In the past decade, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been studied as a treatment for an array addictive behaviors, including drinking, smoking, opioid misuse, and use of illicit substances like cocaine and heroin. This article reviews current research evaluating MBIs as a treatment for addiction, with a focus on findings pertaining to clinical outcomes and biobehavioral mechanisms. Studies indicate that MBIs reduce substance misuse and craving by modulating cognitive, affective, and psychophysiological processes integral to self-regulation and reward processing. This integrative review provides the basis for manifold recommendations regarding the next wave of research needed to firmly establish the efficacy of MBIs and elucidate the mechanistic pathways by which these therapies ameliorate addiction. Issues pertaining to MBI treatment optimization and sequencing, dissemination and implementation, dose-response relationships, and research rigor and reproducibility are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account | 2016 | Review | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. | 2013 | Review | |
| The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 41
- Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology December 11, 2018
- Mindfulness meditation and psychedelics: potential synergies and commonalities Pharmacological Reports November 6, 2023
- Psychosocial-spiritual well-being is related to resilience and mindfulness in patients with severe and/or life-limiting medical illness BMC Palliative Care September 11, 2023
- Prefrontal electrophysiological biomarkers and mechanism-based drug effects in a rat model of alcohol addiction. Translational Psychiatry December 5, 2024
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Therapy on Drug Craving and Emotion Regulation of Therapeutic Community Centers Clients Journal of Health Reports and Technology July 22, 2023
and 36 more in the library
Cites 37
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- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Mindfulness training increases momentary positive emotions and reward experience in adults vulnerable to depression: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology July 18, 2011
and 32 more in the library