A mindfulness-based, stress and coping model of craving in methamphetamine users

Abstract

There is increasing interest in the role of mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions to optimize recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD). However, relatively little is known about the theory-based psychological and social pathways whereby mindfulness could have beneficial effects for managing a chronic, relapsing SUD. Informed by Revised Stress and Coping Theory, the present cross-sectional study examined affective, cognitive, and social pathways whereby mindfulness is associated with lower methamphetamine craving. A total of 161 HIV-positive, methamphetamine-using sexual minority men completed a screening visit for a randomized controlled trial. Using a hybrid structural equation model, we examined pathways whereby mindfulness is associated with lower methamphetamine craving. We found that greater mindfulness was directly associated with lower negative affect and higher positive affect as well as indirectly associated with less methamphetamine craving. Interestingly, the indirect association between mindfulness and methamphetamine craving appeared to be uniquely attributable to positive affect. Only positive affect was indirectly associated with lower methamphetamine craving via higher positive re-appraisal coping and greater self-efficacy for managing triggers for methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine craving was supported by moderate associations with greater substance use severity and more frequent methamphetamine use. These findings support the role of mindfulness in cultivating positive affect, which could be crucial to build the capacity of individuals to manage methamphetamine craving as a chronic stressor that threatens recovery from SUD.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Therapy on Drug Craving and Emotion Regulation of Therapeutic Community Centers Clients

“…The results indicated that MBRP helped mitigate drug cravings in TC visitors. This is consistent with the findings of previous studies (17,20). In explaining the findings of the current research, it can be said that the purpose of MBRP is to create awareness and accept thoughts, emotions and feelings through practicing mindfulness and using mindfulness skills as a coping strategy in facing high-risk situations (29).…”

“…Recurring encounters with present experiences, maintaining awareness, and accepting and tolerating craving-induced distress can lead to habituation of distress and disrupt negative reinforcement cycles of substance abuse in response to drug cravings (20). Therefore, substance abuse therapies that promote normal interoceptive awareness could target flexibility and focus on the separation of drug craving from substance abuse (21).…”

Mindfulness Intervention Improves Coping and Perceptions of Children’s Behavior among Families with Elevated Risk

“…Tests of this hypothesis have been promising [49,50]. Mindfulness can serve as an effective buffer against stressors both proximal, such as coping with substance use cravings [51] or mental fatigue from multitasking [52], and distal, by reducing perceptions of and reactions to stress over time [48]. Short-term MIIs with parents have been shown to increase levels of mindfulness and subjective wellbeing, decrease levels of parenting stress, and improve youth outcomes, such as externalizing behaviors [5,7,53].…”

Examining the Relationships between Mindfulness and Tobacco Craving Factors

“…Noticeably, mindfulness seemed to attenuate substance craving through a moderating effect on negative affect (7,8). Recently, Mallik et al's, from a sample of patients who completed treatment for substance use disorders, suggested that both mindfulness and psychological flexibility contributed to variance in substance craving, while controlling for severity dependence (9).…”