Mindfulness meditation for substance abuse
Relapse is common in substance use disorders, even among treated individuals.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin, in Madison reviewed the evidence supporting mindfulness meditation.
First, the details.
- Among over 2000 abstracts, 25 eligible manuscripts (published and unpublished) were reviewed.
And, the results.
- Preliminary evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation is effective and safe.
- However, the data are not conclusive because most studies were not well designed or conducted.
- It’s unclear which persons with substance use disorders might benefit most from mindfulness meditation.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded that future studies should include larger groups of patients. It would also be useful to conduct research on the mechanism of action of mindfulness meditation.
11/16/09 21:12 JR