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Research shows mindfulness is effective for controlling cravings and addiction.

Observing a craving lets anyone "surf" an urge.

Meditation for Getting Free from Addiction and Craving

The kinds of cravings and addictions that exist in the world are numerous—from "soft" addictions like shopping and food bingeing to the more risky addictions like sex, drugs, and gambling. The thing that anyone struggling with a craving or addiction can tell you is this: The craving can be overwhelming. Many believe it's impossible for them to stop.

What we need to know is that addiction and cravings are habits that get more strongly hard-wired into the brain. After this hard-wiring is in place, changing it can feel difficult, but it's not impossible.

Research shows that mindfulness can greatly reduce cravings and addiction. Many studies support the work of researcher Alan Marlatt's Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention program.

Marlatt's work shows that even persistent, hard-to-stop cravings could be managed using mindfulness. Basically, Marlatt used a mindfulness approach that lets individuals "surf" their urges, or watch how cravings rise and subside over time.

Once someone learns how to do this, they can more easily accept the........

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