Mindfulness-Based Practices for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder

Abstract

Complementary and integrative health approaches such as meditation have become popular in recent years, and there is a growing interest in using these self-care practices to alleviate stress and anxiety. These mindfulness-based practices, often described as “mind and body” practices, have a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. In recent years, mindfulness-based practices have been examined within the framework of psychology and neuroscience. There is an increasing understanding of the cognitive processes and neurobiological mechanisms underlying these practices. Working with the general principles of meditative practices, treatment involving the fostering of mindfulness has been used to address the practical needs of patients with substance use disorder (SUD). From a cannabis use disorder (CUD) perspective, many symptoms associated with cannabis withdrawal such as irritability, anger, or depression; nervousness or anxiety; and restlessness or depressed mood may be improved or ameliorated through meditative practices. While little research has directly examined the efficacy of contemplative, meditative practices for CUD, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction. This chapter focuses on approaches involving mindfulness-based contemplative, meditative practices, as well as their origin, conceptual framework, neurobiological mechanism of action, and application to the treatment and prevention of CUD and, more broadly, SUD.