Meditation has become increasingly popular in the clinical setting over the past few decades. It is known to have medical benefits, and there is evidence that it may have psychiatric benefits as well. This study examined the effects of meditation on substance abuse disorders and turned up some promising results.

The idea that meditation has healing aspects is not new. Scientific interest in meditation has been growing for some time; in 2007 alone, almost 70 peer-reviewed articles devoted to the practice were published. Meditation is probably the most extensively evaluated “alternative” treatment available to patients. Mainstream health care providers now widely accept the mind-body connection and implement meditation in a number of applications. Meditation has been shown here to have a positive effect on hypertension, here to help patients mitigate the stress of having a chronic illness, and here to promote good cardiovascular health.

Similarly, meditation has been shown to be helpful in psychiatric settings. Possible benefits being studied include improvement of anxiety and depression, help with substance-abuse disorders, and reducing self-injurious behaviors in the context of personality disorders.

Meditation in Youth Intervention

Certain studies, such as this one, have also taken a close look at the effect of meditation on children and teenagers from 6 to 18 years old. This study examined the results of different types of meditation, such as mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction on youth with preexisting conditions like hypertension, ADHD, and learning disabilities. The study concluded that meditation does seem to be effective in treating physical, psychosocial, and behavioral conditions in youth.

Limitations of Studying Meditation

One of the problems with scientific study of meditation is the nature of meditation itself. Literally meaning to reflect or ponder, meditation is generally described in spiritual, mystifying, or imprecise terms that make it difficult to define scientifically. In addition, meditation is generally private and subjective, which makes the activity tricky to scrutinize, test, and analyze. Another issue with studying meditation is that “meditation” is actually an umbrella term encompassing many different techniques. These techniques have differences involving control of different areas, such as concentration, breathing, and relaxation. Therefore, when considering the results of a study, one must take into account the specific type of meditation used and not generalize the results of the study to other types of meditation.

Conclusion

Given the limitations of meditation studies, it’s safe to say that further research is needed to understand the full scope of its benefits and drawbacks, as well as what specific areas meditation may affect, such as relapse prevention or enhancement of motivation. However, meditation is showing great potential in the treatment of substance abuse disorders. It appears to facilitate cue extinction, reduce cravings, lessen compulsive behaviors, and promote healthier decision making. Meditation also shows promise in many other health-related areas. We have probably just begun to tap into this natural wellspring of healing through mind-body connection.

– Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D., M. P. H.