Mindfulness therapy was found that it reduces opioid hunger and improves emotional health

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have found that the improvement of mindfulness -oriented recovery (more) can help in the return of brain reaction to natural healthy pleasure, leading to improving mood, more attention to positive experiences and reduced desires of opioids. Discoveries, published on April 30, 2025 in (Jama), suggest that the therapy based on evidence can be a promising tool in the fight against opioids (OUD) disorders.

Opioid addiction may develop when people inadequate opioids are originally prescribed Chronic painA condition affecting 50 million Americans each year, according to the National Academy of Sciences. As people become more and more dependent on opioids, they begin to lose their ability to feel joy and meaning in everyday life, encouraging them to look for higher doses to maintain a fleeting sense of well -being – a cycle that can lead to addiction to opioids.

More, the program developed by Dr. Eric Garland psychiatry In the UC San Diego School of Medicine and was given by a professor at the Sanford Institute for Empatia and Compassion is a therapy based on evidence that integrates mindfulness training, cognitive therapy and positive psychology techniques to solve addiction, emotional stress and chronic pain. More teaches mindfulness to regulate hunger, alleviate pain and regain the ability to enjoy natural healthy pleasure, joy and sense in life.

The study included 160 people with chronic pain – both with and without Oud – recruited from primary care and pain clinics. Participants performed a positive task of regulating emotions (ER) and questionnaires. The complication of participants at risk of improper use of opioids was randomly assigned to one per one, eight weeks larger or supporting group therapy, and then ended the task of ER during treatment and questionnaires through 3 months of observation.

Participants with Oud showed difficulties in increasing positive emotions, as you can see in weakened brain reactions, when they tried to enjoy images representing naturally satisfying objects and experiences, such as smiling children, puppies or a beautiful sunset. This disrupting or numbing positive emotions was directly related to higher opioid hunger. However, more therapy helped cure this inability to enjoy by increasing the brain response to positive stimuli, which was associated with a 50% lower desire for opioids than standard group therapy. The results indicate that more can play an important role in helping people with Oud in regaining control over emotions and hunger, potentially reducing the improper use of opioids.

Addiction depends reduces the ability of the brain to experience natural healthy pleasure, increasing the desire for the drug. Our research shows that more helps to restore this capacity, reducing hunger and potentially prevent the wrong use of opioids. “

Dr. Eric Garland, main author of Study, professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine

So far, more has been tested in over 10 randomized clinical trials involving over 1000 people. In the largest clinical examination with the participation of 250 patients – published at the beginning of 2022 – more reduced use of opioids by 45% in a 9 -month observation period, almost typing the effect of standard group therapy. In addition, 50% of patients treated with a more clinically significant decrease in chronic pain. The published study 2023 showed that the addition of more standard addiction care caused 42% less relapses and 59% less abandonment compared to the standard addiction care itself.

Over the past 20 years, Garland research and development more therapy have been supported by subsidies from the National Institutes of Health (Nih). New research shows that for every 1 USD spent on more, there is 798 USD in estimated cost savings for preventing fatal overdose, reduced health care costs, reducing the involvement of the judiciary in criminal matters and increased work efficiency. The economic impact on life is estimated at USD 320 216 per person treated with more investments in society.

“This test is a key step, but we need more on a large scale and long-term tests to fully understand how treatment such as more can help heal the brain to improve the recovery of opioids,” Garland added. “Many rigorous, well -controlled clinical trials have been demonstrated effectiveness The more therapy. Now there is the right time to cooperate with decision -makers, healthcare organizations and administrators of opioid legal settlement in order to disseminate this treatment based on evidence throughout the country to help relieve the opioid crisis. “