Craving to quit: psychological models and neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness training as treatment for addictions.
Judson A. Brewer, Hani M. Elwafi, Jake H. Davis
Psychology of Addictive Behaviors May 28, 2012 DOI: 10.1037/a0028490 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation Addiction |
| Keywords | Brain Nerve net Humans Behavior, addictive Smoking cessation Conditioning, operant Attention Models, psychological Secondary prevention Smoking prevention |
| Key findings | Argues that ancient Buddhist models of suffering closely resemble modern reinforcement-based models of addiction, and that this overlap may explain how mindfulness training reduces craving and other addictive processes. Preliminary studies of mindfulness training for addictions, illustrated with smoking, suggest early efficacy, and neuroimaging findings may clarify its neural mechanisms. |
Abstract
Humans suffer heavily from substance use disorders and other addictions. Despite much effort that has been put into understanding the mechanisms of the addictive process, treatment strategies have remained suboptimal over the past several decades. Mindfulness training, which is based on ancient Buddhist models of human suffering, has recently shown preliminary efficacy in treating addictions. These early models show remarkable similarity to current models of the addictive process, especially in their overlap with operant conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement). Further, they may provide explanatory power for the mechanisms of mindfulness training, including its effects on core addictive elements, such as craving, and the underlying neurobiological processes that may be active therein. In this review, using smoking as an example, we will highlight similarities between ancient and modern views of the addictive process, review studies of mindfulness training for addictions and their effects on craving and other components of this process, and discuss recent neuroimaging findings that may inform our understanding of the neural mechanisms of mindfulness training.
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 49
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology December 11, 2018
- A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2013
- Testing the mindfulness-to-meaning theory: Evidence for mindful positive emotion regulation from a reanalysis of longitudinal data. PLoS One December 6, 2017
- Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science PLoS One November 7, 2018
and 44 more in the library
Cites 33
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
and 28 more in the library