HEALTH

Can mindfulness curb opioid addiction and pain? U. of U. researchers says it can help.

Mar 1, 2022, 8:18 PM | Updated: Mar 2, 2022, 12:50 pm

Salt Lake County will be receiving $57 million over the next 18 years from in opioid settlement....

Salt Lake County will be receiving $57 million over the next 18 years from in opioid settlement.

SALT LAKE CITY — A new study coming out of the University of Utah has found that mindfulness therapy can help reduce opioid use and misuse as well as chronic pain.

Dr. Eric Garland is a professor in the University of Utah College of Social Work and director of the Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development. He joined Inside Sources host Boyd Matheson to discuss mindfulness and opioid addiction.

Find out more about the study.

Coping with pain

Boyd said he has suffered chronic pain for about 30 years.

“So, this is one that is near and dear to me. . . . For our listeners who may not be so aware of what mindfulness is describe it for us just a little bit and how you’re actually applying that as it relates to chronic pain and especially opioid misuse.”

“Mindfulness is a form of mental training. I like to think of it as mental exercise in the same way that you do physical exercise to strengthen the health of the body,” Garland said.

He said patients are taught mindfulness to cope with pain by focusing on the sensations of their bodies while simultaneously separating those sensations from their emotional reactions to them.

Separating pain from emotion

Pain is upsetting, bringing anger, sadness and stress, which increases pain levels in the brain, he said. 

“We teach people to use mindfulness to separate out their emotional reactions and to just break down the sensation of pain into feelings of warmth or tightness or tingling, alleviating the overall experience of pain,” Garland said.

Mindfulness helps patients understand opioid use and misuse

Mindfulness can also help patients gain self-awareness and self-control of their opioid use.

“Were [patients] taking the opioid out of habit? Were they taking it to relieve their physical pain? Or maybe they were taking the opioid to alleviate their stress or their anxiety or other negative emotions. This helped people to get insight into [opioid use] and make good decisions about their health,” Garland said. 

“Mindfulness for me, anyway, was that ability to be present so that you’re making all of those choices in a more positive, more intentional way, rather than as you said, doctor, just reacting,” Boyd said.

Wanting to reduce their use of pain meds, patients applied mindfulness to decrease their pain when they normally would have taken an opioid tablet, Garland said.

“They could actually push out their dose until the next time they needed to take the pill. So, in this way, patients are able to actually cut their opioid use,” he said.

Garland noted that pain can cause depressed moods and affect every aspect of a person’s life from work to relationships. He said mindfulness can significantly reduce depression and increase a sense of well-being. 

To learn more about mindfulness, Garland suggested:

Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson can be heard weekdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Health

Weight lifting for seniors is important to help with bone density....

Amanda Dickson

Why lifting weights is something seniors shouldn’t skip

Lifting weights is important for all ages, but especially for seniors who may be experiencing losses in bone density.

13 hours ago

Image of a mother nursing an infant. Intermountain Health is now offering lactation consultations v...

Britt Johnson

Telehealth lactation consultations now available in Utah

Intermountain's telehealth lactation consultations began during the pandemic, and have since proven a popular alternative.

2 days ago

Image of an Alaska Air flight taking off from Los Angeles International Airport. The FAA convened a...

Pete Muntean, CNN

FAA announces new pilot mental health committee

The issue of pilot mental health surfaced again in October when an off-duty pilot was charged with trying to crash an Alaska Airlines flight.

2 days ago

Social engagement is one habit that could help protect your brain as you age....

Kristen Rogers, CNN

What’s your Brain Care Score? The answer may indicate your dementia risk

A new tool named the Brain Care Score may help you asses risks of stroke and dementia while also advising how you can lower your risk.

3 days ago

Only a few weeks left to use FSA...

Andrew Gordon

Only a few weeks left to use FSA, here’s how an expert says to do it

There are still a few weeks left to use your healthcare Flexible Spending Account or FSA, and most employers have a grace period.

3 days ago

These photos of Legacy Village in St. George, Utah, show zero land dedicated to real grass. It incl...

Emma Penrod, Great Salt Lake Collaborative

Fixing the lake could pave the way to solving Utah’s mental health crisis

A more holistic approach to urban design may in fact transform our entire life for the better — particularly with respect to our mental health.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Human hand holding a protest banner stop vaping message over a crowded street background....

Prosperous Utah Communities

Utah’s Battle to Protect Youth from Vaping Epidemic Faces New Threat as Proposed Rule Threatens Progress

Utah's strict standards of nicotine levels in vaping products are at risk, increasing health hazards associated with use. Read more about how you can advocate for a better future for Utah's youth.

Can mindfulness curb opioid addiction and pain? U. of U. researchers says it can help.