Mindfulness Meditation Is As Effective As Medication for Anxiety Disorders

Based on Southern Buddhism Vipassana Meditation... Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program
Georgetown University in the US Divided 276 Patients into Two Groups for 8-Week Study
Both Meditation and Medication Groups Showed 20% Reduction in Anxiety Symptoms

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] A study has found that mindfulness meditation is as effective as anti-anxiety or antidepressant medications in alleviating anxiety.

According to CNN on the 13th (local time), Dr. Elizabeth Hodges and her team at Georgetown University Medical Center treated 276 adult patients with anxiety disorders by dividing them into two groups: medication therapy and meditation, over eight weeks. Both groups showed about a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms. The researchers randomly divided the anxiety disorder patients into two groups. The medication therapy group took 10-20 mg of escitalopram, a generic version of 'Lexapro,' an anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication. The meditation group participated in a group meditation course for two and a half hours once a week and meditated alone for 40 minutes daily. After eight weeks, both groups showed about a 20% decrease in anxiety symptoms. The study was published on the 9th in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry.

Dr. Hodges expressed hope that this study would provide more treatment options for anxiety patients. In an interview with CNN, she said, "Lexapro is a widely prescribed excellent medication, but it is not for everyone." In other words, for patients who experience severe side effects or are allergic to anti-anxiety drugs, meditation can be prescribed instead of medication. Starting meditation can also be the first step in treatment for anxiety disorder patients who have not responded well to medication or are cautious about drug therapy. However, Dr. Hodges emphasized that just because meditation is as effective as medication, patients already taking medication should not stop their medication without consulting their doctor. Meditation can be tried alongside medication, and if patients want to stop taking medication, they must consult their physician.

Mindfulness meditation is based on Vipassana meditation, which has been practiced for over 2,000 years in the Theravada Buddhist tradition centered in Southeast Asia. This meditation method became globally famous in 1979 when Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn of the University of Massachusetts Medical School developed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Dr. Hodges' research team also utilized this program. Mindfulness focuses on intentionally paying attention to the 'here and now' without judgment or attachment.

Dr. Hodges advised that neither meditation nor medication should be expected to completely eliminate anxiety, as feeling anxious is normal. However, treatment has a calming effect. She said, "Meditation is like a practiced skill, allowing you to let thoughts be, endure them gently, and just let them pass." She added, "With repeated practice, you can create some distance between yourself and your thoughts."

Dr. Hodges also expressed hope that further research would identify unknown factors that make some patients respond better to meditation. Conversely, since medication is more effective for some patients, identifying predictors of response in future studies will enable doctors to prescribe more appropriate treatments tailored to each patient. She also hoped that meditation would eventually be recognized as an anxiety treatment covered by insurance, just like medication therapy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.