Abstract
Mindfulness is a concept that has taken quite a hold on the therapeutic world in recent years. Techniques that induce “mindfulness” are increasingly being employed in Western psychology and psychotherapy to help alleviate a variety of conditions. So while mindfulness has its conceptual roots in Buddhism it has been translated into a Western non-religious context. Mindfulness skills are now included as a technique for coping with urges to engage in substance use and relapse in addiction. The research at this date has not revealed the ultimate effectiveness of mindfulness for substance abuse and addiction. It might be that mindfulness is a helpful, but not a sufficient factor as a means to address substance abuse. The relationship between spirituality and mindfulness should be explored further.
References
Alterman, A. I., Koppenhaver, J. M., Mulholland, E., Ladden, L. J., & Baime, M. J. (2004). Pilot trial of effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for substance abuse patients. Journal of Substance Use, 9(6), 259–268. doi:10.1080/14659890410001711698.
Bowen, S., Witkiewitz, K., Dillworth, T. M., Chawla, N., Simpson, T. L., Ostafin, B. D., et al. (2006). Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20(3), 343–347. doi:10.1037/0893-164X.20.3.343.
Breslin, F. C., Zack, M., & McMain, S. (2002). An information-processing analysis of mindfulness: Implications for relapse prevention in the treatment of substance abuse. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9(3), 275–299. doi:10.1093/clipsy/9.3.275.
Dimeff, L., Rizvi, S. L., Brown, M., & Linehan, M. M. (2000). Dialectical behavior therapy for substance use: a pilot application to methamphetamine-dependent women with borderline personality disorder. Cognitive Behavioral Practice, 7, 457–468. doi:10.1016/S1077-7229(00)80057-7.
Eifert, G. H., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005). Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders. A practitioner's treatment guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behavior change strategies. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Grof, C. (1993). The thirst for wholeness: attachment, addiction, and the spiritual path. New York, NY: Collins.
Grof, S., & Grof, C. (1993). Addiction as a spiritual emergency. In R. Walsh, & F. Vaughan (Eds.), Paths beyond ego: The transpersonal vision (pp. 144–146). New York, NY: Jeremy Tarcher/Putman.
Hayes, S. C. (2005). Get out of you life and into your life: The new acceptance and commitment therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K., & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and commitment therapy. New York: Guilford.
Hierotheos, M. (1998). The mind of the Orthodox church. Esther Williams (Trans.). Levadia, Greece: The Theotokos Monastery.
Hofmann, S. G., & Asmundson, G. J. (2008). Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapy: new wave or old hat? Clinical Psychology Review, 28(1), 1–16. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.09.003.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (2003). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 144–156. doi:10.1093/clipsy/bpg016.
Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, M. D., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L. G., Fletcher, K. E., & Pbert, L. (1992). Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 936–943.
Kabat-Zinn, J., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: A new approach to preventing relapse. New York: Guilford.
Kristeller, J. L., & Hallett, C. B. (1999). An exploratory study of a meditation-based intervention for binge eating disorder. Journal of Health Psychology, 4, 357–363.
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.
Leigh, J., Bowen, S., & Marlatt, G. A. (2005). Spirituality, mindfulness and substance abuse. Addictive Behaviors, 30(7), 1335–1341. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2005.01.010.
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford.
Marlatt, G. A., & Gordon, J. R. (1985). Relapse prevention: Maintenance strategies in the treatment of addictive behaviors. New York: Guilford.
Marois, R., & Ivanoff, J. (2005). Limits of information processing in the brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9, 296–305. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2005.04.010.
Miller, W. (1990). Spirituality: the silent dimension in addiction research. Drug and Alcohol Review, 9(3), 259–266. doi:10.1080/09595239000185341.
Miller, W. (2000). Integrating spirituality into treatment: Resources for practitioners. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Nigosian, S. A. (2004). Islam. Its history, teaching, and practices. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Pardini, D. A., Plante, T. G., Sherman, A., & Stump, J. E. (2000). Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 19(4), 347–354. doi:10.1016/S0740-5472(00)00125-2.
Ribner, M. (1998). Everyday Kabbalah: A practical guide to Jewish meditation, healing, and personal growth. Citadel Yucca Valley, CA: Ribner. 1998.
Salmon, P. G., Santorelli, S. F., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (1998). Intervention elements promoting adherence to mindfulness-based stress reduction programs in the clinical behavioral medicine setting. In S. A. Shumaker, E. B. Schron, J. K. Ockene, & W. L. Bee (Eds.), Handbook of health behavior change (2nd ed., pp. 239–268). New York: Springer.
Shapiro, S. L., Schwartz, G. E., & Bonner, G. (1998). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on medical and premedical students. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 21(6), 581–59. doi:10.1023/A:1018700829825.
Siegel, D. J. (2007). Mindfulness training and neural integration: differentiation of distinct streams of awareness and the cultivation of well-being. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2(4), 259–263. doi:10.1093/scan/nsm034.
Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., & Williams, M. G. (1995). How does cognitive therapy prevent depressive relapse and why should attentional control (mindfulness training) help? Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 25–39. doi:10.1016/0005-7967(94)E0011-7.
Teasdale, J. D., Williams, J. M., Soulsby, J. M., Segal, Z. V., Ridgeway, V. A., & Lau, M. A. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness—based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 615–623. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.68.4.615.
United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. (2003). Global illicit drug trends. New York: United Nations.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Appel, J., Kim-Appel, D. Mindfulness: Implications for Substance Abuse and Addiction. Int J Ment Health Addiction 7, 506–512 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-009-9199-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-009-9199-z