Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Opioid Use Disorders: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Objective: Mindfulness based interventions have been found useful for substance use disorders, smoking, and alcohol use disorders. As the opioid epidemic grows each year in the United States, the need for research on the effectiveness of a broad range of interventions is urgently needed. The aim of this review is to clarify and summarize what is known about the effectiveness of mindfulness as an intervention for opioid use disorders. Methods: A systematic review was conducted of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and opioid use disorders (OUDs). The search utilized PubMed for peer reviewed journal articles and subsequently, articles listed in the bibliographies of the original articles. All articles found in the searches that were published to date, in English, and on studies conducted in the United States were considered. Results: Five studies used for the review included a randomized controlled trial, a feasibility trial, and cross-sectional analysis of three studies. Mindfulness-Orientation Recovery Enhancement (MORE) treatments were reported to significantly reduce pain severity, increase non-reactivity and reinterpretation of pain sensations, lower stress arousal and desire for opioids after treatment. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) treatments showed a statistically significant decrease in depression, craving and trauma symptoms, with feasibility and acceptability reported by study participants. Significant association was found between dispositional mindfulness and attention to positive information. The studies reviewed also showed contradicting conclusions for an association between opioid craving and misuse. Conclusions: The review of these studies did not provide sufficient evidence to determine MBIs would be an effective treatment option for OUDs. Insufficient evidence was found to indicate the frequency and duration required for effective treatment. Further research with larger sample sizes, utilizing tools to measure more consistent results with less room for reporting bias is needed.