Mindfulness Meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review
Substance Abuse October 1, 2009 Aleksandra Zgierska, David Rabago, Neharika Chawla et al. 349 citations
Relapse is common in substance use disorders even after treatment. This systematic review examined mindfulness meditation-based interventions for substance use disorders, identifying 25 eligible manuscripts from over 2000 abstracts. The studies included 8 randomized controlled trials, 7 controlled nonrandomized trials, 6 noncontrolled prospective studies, 2 qualitative studies, and 1 case report. Overall, preliminary evidence suggests mindfulness meditation may be efficacious and safe, but conclusive data for its use as a treatment are lacking. Most studies had significant methodological limitations, and it remains unclear which individuals with substance use disorders might benefit most. Future trials need larger sample sizes and should assess both effect size and mechanisms of action.