Study: Mindfulness Meditation Helpful to Stimulant Addicts

A recent study conducted at UCLA noted that a “mindfulness-based relapse prevention” program was effective for people suffering from addiction to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants (Olds, 2016). 

The study examined sixty-three participants who underwent the mindfulness-based program for three months. According to addiction news website The Fix, the program used “tools from meditation to get the participants to focus on the present and release themselves from feelings of judgment and criticism” (Olds, 2016). Dr. Suzette Glasner, the lead author of the study, stated, “I developed an interest in using mindfulness to treat stimulant addiction because one of the most difficult hurdles . . . is managing the sadness and anxiety” (Olds, 2016). 

Dr. Glasner’s study also showed that mindfulness could help stimulant users who also suffer from co-occurring disorders like depression and anxiety. 

Olds, D. (2016). Mindfulness meditation can treat meth and coke addicts, says study. Retrieved from https://www.thefix.com/mindfulness-meditation-can-treat-meth-and-coke-addicts-says-study