Alcohol use
Meditation shown to help against relapses in alcoholics
Researchers at the University of Washington did a trial to compare meditation with 'Thought Suppression' in alcohol use. 57 meditators did an intensive 10 day meditation course compared to 116 who were in the control group. 3 months after the course:
- Those who participated in the meditation course dropped from an average of 64 drinks per week to 8 drinks per week whilst those who did not meditate dropped from 43 drinks per week to 27 drinks per week.
- Previous studies have shown that attempts to suppress thoughts about using substances may actually lead to increases in substance use, the meditating group reported greater decrease in attempts to avoid thoughts, but felt that they were able to cope with these thoughts as they arose.
Tags
"The role of thought suppression in the relation between mindfulness meditation and alcohol use"
Bowen, Sarah., Dillworth, Tiara M., Marlett, A., Witkiewitz, Katie.
Addictive Behaviour 32 (2009) 2324-2328
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Meditation shown to promote psychological well-being and help pain management in patients with arthritic rheumatoid
Researchers at the University of Maryland Medical School observed the effects of mediation in 31 patients with arthritic rheumatoid when compared to 32 control patients. The 31 meditating patients did an 8 week mindfulness-based stress reduction course and continued to practice after it finished. After 6 months:
- There was a 35% reduction in psychological stress in those patients that meditated.
Brain Structure
Meditation shown to change physical structure of the brain
Researchers at Harvard Medical School measured specific areas of the brain of 20 long-term meditators (none of whom were monks) when compared to non-meditators.
- The part of the brain that is associated with attention was thicker in the meditators than non-meditators.
- The region of the brain associated with interoception was thicker in the meditators than the non-meditators.
- The area of the brain associated with sensory processing was thicker in the meditators than the non-meditators.
Tags
"Meditation Experience is associated with increased Cortical thickness"
Benson, H., Dusek, J A., Fischl, B., Gray J R., Greve, D N., Kerr, C E., Lazar, Sara., McGarvey, M., Moore, C I., Quinn, B T., Rauch, S L., Treadway, M T., Wasserman, Rachel.
Neuroreport 16 (2005) 1893-1897
Insomnia
Meditation shown to improve sleep quality of people with insomnia
Researchers at Stanford University Medical School did a trial to see the effects of mindfulness meditation with Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy on insomnia. 30 people with psychological insomnia did weekly sessions for 6 weeks in which they were taught mindfulness meditation to help aid sleep.
- Results show a 50% average of improvements in sleep quality.
- Only 13% of participants still had psychological insomnia by the end of the treatment.
- 71% of participant reported significant improvements after 6 weeks.
Tags
„Combining Mindfulness Meditation with Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Insomnia: A Treatment-Development Study“
Behavior Therapy 39 (2008) 171–182
Anxiety
Meditation shown to significantly reduce anxiety
A study done at the New York General Hospital Psychiatry studied a group of patient for 3 years after initial meditation sessions. 22 patients with anxiety/panic disorders took part in a 8 week stress reduction intervention based around mindfulness. After 3 years:
- The scale of anxiety had gone down by 1/3 in patients
- When asked whether meditation had 'lasting value' for them in their treatment, 16/18 patients said yes.
- 8/18 patients received no further training for anxiety after initial meditation sessions.
Tags
„Three-Year Follow-up and Clinical Implications of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Intervention in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders“
General Hospital Psychiatry 17, (1995)192-200
