Effects of Meditation on Anxiety and Chemical Dependency

Abstract

Research evidence indicates relationships between anxiety and the use of psychoactive drugs, and between the practice of meditation and lowered physiological indices of anxiety. Ex-post-facto studies of meditators indicate a negative correlation between practice of meditation and drug use. In the present study, a non-self-selected sample of chemically dependent people was instructed in the practice of meditation as part of an ongoing rehabilitation program and compared with a non-instructed control group, both at the termination of training and six months later. Differences established upon termination were no longer evident in the instructed group after six months. Subjects who reported continuing at least minimal meditative practices, however, showed differences in social adjustment, work performance, and use of drugs and alcohol when compared with non-practicers. These differences were more pronounced than those established for on-going Alcoholics Annonymous members.