Meditation as a Coping Intervention for Treatment of Addiction

Abstract

Addiction is a complex problem that can affect all realms of life and calls for a holistic response. Stress can contribute to addiction, and stress also results from the consequences of addiction. Mindfulness meditation has been successfully utilized to reduce stress among people with medical problems. Using a stress and coping framework, this article discusses meditation as a coping intervention for clients in treatment for substance abuse. Research on meditation as a substance abuse treatment intervention is reviewed and limitations are addressed. A mindfulness meditation group intervention model is set forth.

Keywords:

• addiction
• stress
• coping
• mindfulness meditation