My colleagues and I had a new paper published in the top scientific journal Nature Mental Health showing that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) led to clinically significant reductions in post-traumatic stress symptoms in 59% of patients with comorbid PTSD, chronic pain, and opioid misuse. In this NIH-funded study involving 241 patients, MORE significantly reduced PTSD symptoms by increasing the capacity to regulate negative emotions through reappraisal. In turn, the effects of MORE on reducing opioid misuse were statistically mediated by decreases in PTSD symptoms. This study is important because PTSD is highly prevalent among people with chronic pain and addiction, yet there are no evidence-based treatments for this complex comorbidity. These data suggest that MORE is a highly effective therapy that can simultaneously treat traumatic stress, chronic pain, and addictive behavior.
