“In the past three decades, we have seen considerable advances in the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). Psychosocial interventions such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are effective; however, maintaining the gains made during SUD treatment is a challenge for the majority of individuals. While CBT focuses on cognitions and behaviors associated with substance use, such treatments do not fully address other important factors contributing to relapse, such as affect dysregulation and craving, which are mediated by physiological as well as cognitive processes.
Recent research from David Eddie, PhD, Associate Director of Clinical Translational Recovery Science at the Recovery Research Institute at Mass General, has explored how biobehavioral interventions like heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback can complement existing therapies by directly targeting the physiological underpinnings of affect regulation and craving…”