Yoga as an Adjunct in Opioid Use Disorder Management: RCT Protocol

What’s This Research About?

This is a detailed proposal for a randomized controlled trial that will investigate the potential role of yoga as an add-on therapy for people with opioid use disorder (OUD). During 24 weeks, participants will either receive standard treatment or standard treatment combined with a structured yoga program. The research will assess whether yoga can help improve outcomes such as opioid abstinence, pain management, and craving reduction. The study will also explore the neurobiological effects of yoga using advanced imaging techniques like fMRI.

This study highlights the potential of yoga to enhance traditional treatments for OUD, for managing addiction, and potentially offers new opportunities for yoga teachers to work in clinical and therapeutic settings.

The authors give some background for opioid addiction in India, stating that around 2.06% of the population uses opioids, with even higher rates in big cities. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the already significant issue. OUD is a serious condition that affects people’s ability to work, causes financial strain, and leads to severe health risks, including high rates of overdose and suicide.

Standard treatments for OUD often include medications like buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone, along with psychological support. These treatments, particularly buprenorphine and methadone, are effective in helping people manage OUD. However, they can come with side effects, such as breathing problems, constipation, sleep issues, nausea, and other physical discomforts. Exploring additional support methods, like yoga, might help alleviate some of these challenges and improve overall treatment outcomes for people struggling with OUD.

While previous studies on yoga in OUD are limited, they suggest that yoga can improve quality of life, reduce stress, and potentially aid in abstinence when added to standard treatment. However, these studies have not fully explored yoga’s effects on cravings, sleep quality, social functioning, or withdrawal symptoms, nor have they investigated the potential of tele-yoga as a treatment tool.