Using mindfulness meditation to promote holistic health in individuals with HIV/AIDS Original Research Article

There is clearly a need for effective stress management programs for individuals with HIV/AIDS given their increased susceptibility to illness and disease progression as a result of the immunosuppressive effect of stress. Mindfulness meditation is a relatively new holistic approach to health promotion and is associated with improved stress management along with reductions in negative affect and improvements in well-being. Surprisingly, empirical studies or theoretical discussions of the usefulness of mindfulness meditation with HIV-positive individuals are limited. After briefly reviewing existing data, a rationale for incorporating mindfulness meditation into treatment programs for individuals with HIV/AIDS is presented.