Researchers at the University of London have found that mindfulness exercises can reduce compulsive cravings related to addictions like alcohol, tobacco, food or drugs. Explanations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines addiction as “a state of periodic or chronic dependence on substances or behaviors”. According to the specialized site Addict Help, 20% of mortality is linked to addictions: each year, 70,000 people die from tobacco and 49,000 from the consequences of alcohol. Even more serious, 50% of delinquency incidents are also linked to addictions. Overall, it is estimated that around 90% of people are victims of some form of addiction (games, social networks, television, work, sport, eating disorders, etc.), but at different levels.
To treat addictions, health professionals generally favor individual and personalized care, taking into account the patient’s personal and social context. While there are a host of psychological and psychiatric approaches to treating addiction, researchers at the University of London have also found that mindfulness exercises are able to block the urge to consume excess food. alcohol, drugs or cigarettes. The research was published in Clinical Psychology Review.
Mindfulness occupies part of the mind
Mindfulness meditation has long been used to cure compulsive cravings. According to ancient Buddhist texts, desire causes suffering but can be avoided by practicing mindfulness meditation. Scientists see it as a way to make clinically relevant changes in behavior, leading patients to be more aware of bodily sensations and letting go of thoughts and emotions.
But while recognizing its therapeutic benefits, the medical industry has a limited understanding of how mindfulness meditation can influence craving outcomes. Looking at 30 studies on the subject, they found that some of the observed beneficial effects may have come from interrupting the urge by loading working memory, a part of our short-term memory that involves perceptual and linguistic processing. immediate conscious.
Meditation does not replace alternative strategies
“Research suggests that certain mindfulness-based strategies may help prevent or interrupt cravings by occupying a part of our mind that contributes to the development of cravings,” says Dr. Katy Tapper, author of the article and lecturer. at City’s Department of Psychology, University of London. Whether mindfulness strategies are more effective than alternative strategies, such as visual imagery, has not yet been demonstrated. However, there is also some evidence to suggest that engaging in regular mindfulness practice can reduce the extent to which people feel the need to respond to their urges, although more research is needed to confirm such an effect. “
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