September 26, 2022 - In its September 2022 issue, International journal of mental health and addiction published a study that investigated the effect of Tai Chi on drug craving for women with drug disorders. One hundred and twelve women were recruited from a drug rehabilitation center in China, and 47 and 48 were finally analyzed in the control group and exercise group, respectively.
The exercise group underwent a 3-month Tai Chi training, whereas the control group experienced no exercise intervention during the same time. The drug craving was measured by the visual analog scale. In data analysis, repeated measures were utilized to test the differences between the control and exercise group over the course of the experiment time.
The mean of the craving score significantly dropped from pre-test to post-test in both groups, with more decrease witnessed in the exercise group. Repeated-measures analysis with a Huynh-Feldt correction showed the significant effect of time as well as the study group by time interaction.
Tai Chi can ameliorate the drug craving in women, and it could be a supportive treatment for drug addiction.
