The Effectiveness of Internet-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Physical and Mental Illnesses: A Narrative Review

The rapid growth of information technologies, such as the internet, smartphones, and videoconferencing has improved the access to mindfulness therapies, which focus on enhancing one’s awareness of the present moment. This review paper attempts to provide an overall picture of the effectiveness of internet-based mindfulness therapies. After a brief introduction to the concept of mindfulness and a presentation of the literature search methods, this review focuses on the effectiveness of internet-based mindfulness therapies. Specifically, the review discusses the role of internet mindfulness therapies in the treatment of physical illnesses, such as chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, tinnitus, diabetes, and cardiovascular illness. Then, the applications of online mindfulness therapy to the treatment of mental illnesses, such as depression, stress, binge eating disorder, and suicidal ideation, are described. The review concludes with a discussion of potential future research directions.