MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF ADDICTION
Addiction is characterized by habitual or compulsive behaviors, and it is quite common in people. It is easy for people to come across someone who is addicted while continuing their daily lives normally. Substance use, gambling and gaming are the most frequent ones due to the advancement of technology and modern society which encourages easy ways of satisfaction. However, these addictions need to be stopped before they endanger the person’s life or his surroundings. Reduced rates of addiction and improved quality of life can be achieved through mindfulness-based interventions that offer actively engaging awareness.
In contrast to addiction, which is the compulsive want to avoid the current moment, mindfulness means embracing the moment as it is (Larimer et al., 1999). With mindfulness meditation, one accepts all distracting thoughts and emotions whether they may unpleasant. Appel et al. (2009) distinguish mindfulness meditation from “relaxation meditation,” which involves focusing on the breath or physical sensations. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) consist of weekly sessions, take-home exercises, daily practices, etc. that typically span eight weeks (Gordon et al., 2014).
Various research on mindfulness have demonstrated that it can cause the brain to experience neuroplastic changes linked to enhanced learning and memory capacity, improved self-regulatory efficacy and higher interoceptive awareness (Gordon et al., 2016). Furthermore, mindfulness may strengthen spirituality, which acts as a protective barrier against feelings of loneliness or being overwhelmed by life’s challenges, according to Gordon et al. (2016). Mindfulness practitioners get a greater awareness of the temporary nature of existence through actively observing cognitive, affective and sensory processes. This understanding leads to a reduction in attachment to people, circumstances, objects, concepts and, consequently, to all addictions. Also, mindfulness interventions are associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression which may accompany with addiction.
Addictions and addiction related conditions including stress, anxiety and loneliness can be decreased with the help of mindfulness-based therapies, and an addict may lead a life of high quality. However, MBIs are among the newest additions to the toolkit for treating addiction. They have several weaknesses as a result. The treatment lasts eight weeks, which is quite short. The benefits of the treatment might not continue in the long run. Furthermore, it is not possible to determine if the benefits will last due to the absence of follow-up assessments. Owing to these weaknesses, mindfulness therapies are usually combined with other forms of therapy. But new findings in the discipline will eventually lead to the development of the most effective types of mindfulness therapies. Until then, mindfulness-based interventions will continue to be applied in combination with other forms of therapy.
REFERENCES
Appel, J. & Appel, D. K. (2009). Mindfulness: implications for substance abuse and addiction. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 7, 506-512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-009-9199-z
Gordon, W. V., Griffiths, M. D. & Shonin, E. (2014). Mindfulness as a treatment for behavioural addiction. Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy, 5(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-6105.1000e122
Gordon, W. V. & Shonin, E. (2016). The mechanisms of mindfulness in the treatment of mental illness and addiction. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 14, 844-849. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-016-9653-7
Larimer, M. E., Palmer, R. S., & Marlatt, G. A. (1999). Relapse prevention: an overview of Marlatt’s cognitive-behavioral model. Alcohol Research and Health, 23(2), 151–160.
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