Mindfulness Intervention Essay

The use of alcohol and substances among adolescents has become a behavior that has been increasing all over the world. Over the years, substance use issues amongst adolescents have been treated with various forms of psychotherapy. More recently, research has shown that mindfulness based interventions aid adolescents with substance abuse problems in their recovery, maintaining sobriety, and to shy away from peer pressure (Burke, 2009). Mindfulness interventions may be beneficial for this population by aiding them to be non-judgmental, express openness, and accept their thoughts and feelings, hence impacting their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors (Robinson, Ladd, and Anderson, 2014). Adolescent substance use and misuse has become a public

There are many forms of mindfulness interventions, some of which include mindfulness based stress reduction, mindfulness based cognitive therapy, dialectic behavior therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Some mindfulness interventions incorporate mindfulness meditation practices and skills and others incorporate psychological and behavioral versions of mindfulness skills. Mindfulness based interventions entail mindfulness meditation practices and skills gathered from Buddhist philosophical origins, and transformed into a secular context to encompass a more universal perspective and application. Through mindfulness group and in-home practices, individuals develop mindfulness skills and attitudes, which include focusing, maintaining attention through focusing on ones breath, accepting one’s current circumstance and experience, which also includes awareness of physical sensations, all by taking a non-judgmental stance. Furthermore, the three primary components of mindfulness are attitude, attention, and intention. Attitudinal components include non-judgment, acceptance, trust, patience, curiosity, and kindness; Attentional components include maintaining focus and the ability to switch focuses; Intentional components include having an intention to practice and to intentionally self-regulate ones attention. Incorporating these concepts into ones life helps the individual be able to shift their habitual patterns through observation and recognition, and embark on a path of reflective response rather than maladaptive reactive behavior (Burke,