Meditation Awareness Training for the Treatment of Sex Addiction: A Case Study.
William van Gordon, Edo Shonin, Mark D Griffiths
Journal of Behavioral Addictions June 27, 2016 DOI: 10.1556/2006.5.2016.034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Adult male with sex addiction |
| Intervention | Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) |
| Duration | 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation Addiction |
| Keywords | Humans Treatment outcome Follow-up studies Behavior, addictive Adult Male Hypersexual behavior Addiction treatment Behavioral addiction Sex addiction Meditation awareness training |
| Key findings | An adult male with sex addiction showed clinically significant improvement in addictive sexual behavior, reduced depression and psychological distress, and better sleep quality, job satisfaction, and non-attachment after completing Meditation Awareness Training, with gains maintained at 6-month follow-up. The authors state this is the first clinical investigation of mindfulness for sex addiction and conclude further clinical investigation is warranted. |
Abstract
Background Sex addiction is a disorder that can have serious adverse functional consequences. Treatment effectiveness research for sex addiction is currently underdeveloped, and interventions are generally based on the guidelines for treating other behavioral (as well as chemical) addictions. Consequently, there is a need to clinically evaluate tailored treatments that target the specific symptoms of sex addiction. It has been proposed that second-generation mindfulness-based interventions (SG-MBIs) may be an appropriate treatment for sex addiction because in addition to helping individuals increase perceptual distance from craving for desired objects and experiences, some SG-MBIs specifically contain meditations intended to undermine attachment to sex and/or the human body. The current study conducts the first clinical investigation into the utility of mindfulness for treating sex addiction. Case presentation An in-depth clinical case study was conducted involving an adult male suffering from sex addiction that underwent treatment utilizing an SG-MBI known as Meditation Awareness Training (MAT). Following completion of MAT, the participant demonstrated clinically significant improvements in addictive sexual behavior, as well as reductions in depression and psychological distress. The MAT intervention also led to improvements in sleep quality, job satisfaction, and non-attachment to self and experiences. Salutary outcomes were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Discussion and conclusion The current study extends the literature exploring the applications of mindfulness for treating behavioral addiction, and findings indicate that further clinical investigation into the role of mindfulness for treating sex addiction is warranted.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecstasy (MDMA) dependence Individuals meeting criteria for MDMA dependence | 1999 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Potential Human Neurotoxicity of MDMA (‘Ecstasy’): Subjective Self-Reports, Evidence from an Italian Drug Addiction Centre and Clinical Case Studies Polydrug consumers attending a Public Health Addiction Treatment Unit in Italy | 2000 | Review and clinical case series | |
| A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
| LSD Overdoses: Three Case Reports Three individuals who experienced accidental LSD overdose | 2020 | Case series | n = 3 |
| Remission of Severe Opioid Use Disorder with Ibogaine: A Case Report. 37-year-old female with severe opioid use disorder | 2016 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Meditation awareness training for the treatment of workaholism: A controlled trial Journal of Behavioral Addictions April 19, 2017
- Exploring Emptiness and its Effects on Non-attachment, Mystical Experiences, and Psycho-spiritual Wellbeing: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Advanced Meditators. Explore 2019
- The Role of Mindfulness in Treating Addictive Disorders and Rehabilitation International Journal of Psychology & Behavior Analysis November 21, 2018
- Adapting Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) for Individual Cancer Care: Clinical Guidelines and Illustrative Case Study Mindfulness July 29, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Approaches to Problematic Technology Use Mental Health - Innovations in Therapy and Treatment April 16, 2025
and 4 more in the library