Effectiveness of raj yoga meditation on stress levels among individuals with substance abuse in rehabilitation centers: a pre-experimental study

Background: Stress is recognized as a significant risk factor for drug addiction development and relapse. Raj Yoga meditation is a simple yet scientifically validated method known to induce calmness and improve cognitive functions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Raj Yoga meditation in reducing stress among individuals with substance abuse in Punjab's selected rehabilitation centers. Methods: A pre-experimental research design was employed on 40 individuals (aged 21-40) with substance abuse, attending 60-minute Raj Yoga Meditation sessions for seven days. Participants were selected using non-probability purposive sampling from rehabilitation centers in Bathinda, Punjab. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to assess stress levels. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized for data analysis. Results: Pre-test results showed 80.0% of the experimental group had high stress levels, which reduced to 10.0% post-test. Comparison of pre-test and post-test stress levels revealed a significant decrease in mean stress scores (pre-test: 30.90 ± 6.617; post-test: 20.28 ± 6.064), with a paired 't' value of 2.02 and df = 39, indicating statistical significance (p < 0.05). Thus, the hypothesis that Raj Yoga Meditation reduces stress among individuals with substance abuse was accepted. Conclusion: Raj Yoga Meditation demonstrated efficacy in reducing stress levels among individuals with substance abuse in the experimental group. These findings suggest the potential of incorporating Raj Yoga Meditation as an adjunct therapy in substance abuse rehabilitation programs.