Group Activities to Support Addiction Recovery

Summary

The purpose of this study is to pilot the use of Holotropic Breathwork (HB) for individuals seeking to recover from addiction. The study will have two arms: A--for individuals in residential treatment programs, B--for individuals living in the community. Arm A will use a cluster randomized intervention, providing HB for individuals at two facilities and a Multiple Modality (MM) intervention (soundbath, meditation, and a film/discussion) at a third facility. In Arm B, we seek to measure the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of HB among people with addiction living in the community. Arm B will be comprised of a single group and participants in this group will receive the same HB experience as the participants in the Arm A HB group. HB is the practice of self-directed hyperventilation while lying down with the support of a selected music set and trained facilitators. Participants may experience an expanded state of consciousness with altered cognition, perception, and emotions. HB has been associated improved mental functioning among the general public and people in addiction treatment, but has never been evaluated in a controlled trial. Inclusion criteria consist of being 19 years of age or older and having met criteria for a substance use disorder within the past five years. Additional inclusion criteria for participants in arm A include being in a residential addiction treatment program at CenterPointe or the Bridge.

Exclusion criteria form the Arm A HB group and the Arm B group include having been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder or a psychotic disorder or having had psychotic symptoms at any point in life, diagnosed with a cardiac condition, received care for a cardiac condition, or have current cardiac symptoms, ever diagnosed with a seizure disorder, current uncontrolled hypertension (140/90 or greater), diagnosed with glaucoma or retinal detachment, recent surgeries, or currently pregnant. Four breathwork sessions will be held: two at the UNMC College of Nursing in Lincoln, one at CenterPointe in Omaha, and one at The Bridge in Lincoln. One MM session will be held at The Bridge in Lincoln.

Conditions

• Addiction
• Substance Use Disorders (SUD)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Holotropic breathwork

HB is the practice of self-directed hyperventilation while lying down with the support of a selected music set and trained facilitators. Participants may experience an expanded state of consciousness with altered cognition, perception, and emotions.

BEHAVIORAL

Multiple modality

Multiple Modality (MM) intervention (yoga, meditation, and a film/discussion)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nebraska

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Nicholas Arien Guenzel, PhD · University of Nebraska

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-27

Primary Completion

2026-04-10

Completion

2026-04-10

Countries

• United States

Study Locations