Dr. Jud Brewer
Dr. Jud Brewer
Habit Change Addiction - From Craving to Control: Disrupting Addiction with Mindfulness Training
Habit Change Addiction - From Craving to Control: Disrupting Addiction with Mindfulness Training
Habit Change Addiction - From Craving to Control: Disrupting Addiction with Mindfulness Training
Saturday 28th June 2025
Explore how mindfulness training can disrupt smoking addiction with Dr. Jud Brewer's insights from a compelling study.
27 minutes
Informative
Inspiring
Hopeful
Compassionate
Educational
About this podcast
Author:
Dr. Jud Brewer
Overview:
Categories:
Mindful Recovery
Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing
Mindfulness & Technology in Health
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Navigating Intimate Relationships
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Episodes:
61 (View all)
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Episode Overview
- Mindfulness training reduces cigarette consumption more effectively than traditional methods.
- The RAIN technique helps manage cravings by creating a pause between trigger and reaction.
- Sitting meditation builds mental resilience against cravings.
- Informal practices like mindful walking support daily mindfulness integration.
- Mindfulness impacts emotional regulation and stress reduction.
It's about retraining your brain and changing your relationship with cravings at a deeper level.
In this intriguing episode of The Dr. Jud Podcast, Dr. Jud Brewer explores how mindfulness training can help disrupt addictive behaviours, particularly smoking. Dr. Brewer, an addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist, dives into the results of a groundbreaking study comparing mindfulness training to the Freedom From Smoking programme. The study involved 88 smokers and revealed that mindfulness training not only reduced cigarette consumption more effectively but also sustained these improvements over a 17-week follow-up.
What's fascinating is the study's use of carbon monoxide measurements in participants' breath, adding a scientific edge to the findings. Dr. Brewer discusses the RAIN technique, which stands for Recognize, Accept, Investigate, and Note. This method teaches participants to observe cravings with curiosity and without judgement, creating a pause between trigger and reaction. He highlights how sitting meditation plays a crucial role in building mental resilience against cravings, emphasising the importance of home practice.
The episode also contrasts the mindfulness approach with Freedom From Smoking, which focuses on behaviour modification and stress reduction through structured phases. While both programmes offer valuable insights, the mindfulness approach seems to foster a deeper change in how participants relate to cravings. You'll learn about informal mindfulness practices like mindful walking and loving-kindness meditation, which help create a supportive internal environment. Dr. Brewer also touches on the broader impacts of mindfulness on stress reduction, emotional regulation, and relationship improvement.
This episode is packed with practical advice and eye-opening findings that could change your perspective on addiction recovery. Whether you're struggling with smoking or any other habit, Dr. Brewer's insights offer a fresh approach to managing cravings and building a healthier life.