Meditation can be helpful to people who are addicted to stimulants like methamphetamines and cocaine, according to a study released by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The researchers evaluated the effects of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) among adults addicted to stimulants.

MBRP is a treatment approach developed at the Addictive Behaviors Research Center at the University of Washington, that fosters increased awareness of triggers, destructive habitual patterns, and “automatic” reactions and uses mindfulness practices to help people pause, observe present experience, and bring awareness to a range of choices.

“In light of the known associations between stress negative affect and relapse mindfulness strategies hold promise as a means of reducing relapse susceptibility” write the study’s authors.

The participants experienced decreased levels of anxiety and depression.

“Among those with depressive and anxiety disorders MBRP was associated with lower odds of stimulant use relative to the control condition,” according to the study.

The authors' conclusion: “MBRP effectively reduces negative affect and psychiatric impairment and is particularly effective in reducing stimulant use among stimulant-dependent adults with mood and anxiety disorders.”