Meditation is increasingly being used nowadays to help relieve stress and combat anxiety. The big question most people ask is: does meditation actually work? The answer to this question is not always consistent. However, meditation still remains to be one of the more popular treatment strategies utilized by patients who experience anxiety. Many studies have been made to assess the efficacy of meditation in the treatment of anxiety disorders and other similar conditions. Here are some of the most recent researches and their results.
RELAXATION TRAINING AND MEDITATION AS ANTI-ANXIETY TREATMENTS
A systematic review was conducted in June of 2008 in order to examine the effects of relaxation training in the treatment of anxiety. The relaxation training used in this study referred to Jacobson’s progressive relaxation, applied relaxation, autogenic training and meditation. The review showed that relaxation training has significant effects in relieving anxiety. Meditation was also noted to have more positive effects in volunteers who underwent longer treatments.
Another systemic review of electronic databases, including the Cochrane Database, was conducted in January of 2006 in order to evaluate the efficacy of meditation for the various types of anxiety disorders. Although no clear conclusions can be made from the review, it was noted that a specific form of meditation, known as transcendental meditation, is able to produce results similar to other forms of relaxation therapy used to decrease anxiety.
STUDIES ON MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
One of the most studied forms of meditation as a treatment for anxiety disorders is mindfulness meditation. A research in April 2007 reviewed several controlled trials regarding the effects of mindfulness meditation on the symptoms of depression and anxiety. The research revealed equivocal results.
However, another research was done in October of the same year. The research was a randomized trial that looked into the effects of cognitive behavior therapy and meditation-based stress reduction program on generalized social anxiety disorder. Participants in both groups experienced an improvement in mood, quality of life and functioning, with cognitive behavior therapy exerting a more significant effect. However, meditation-based stress reduction was noted to possibly have some advantages in the management of this specific form of anxiety disorder.
RESEARCHES ON COMBINATION THERAPIES INVOLVING MEDITATION
There are also a number of studies dealing with combination therapies, where meditation was combined with other treatment strategies in order to address the symptoms of anxiety. An example of this is a study in February of 2007, wherein a meditation-based stress program was combined with the use of drug therapy. The study revealed that a program using meditation can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety in patients who have anxiety disorders.
Meanwhile, another study in New York in May of 2008 looked into the effects of the combination of cognitive therapy and mindfulness meditation on patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, this therapy was seen to have significant benefits in reducing the symptoms of the disorder. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy may thus be a possibly effective form of treatment in generalized anxiety disorder.
MEDITATION IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Aside from classic anxiety disorder, meditation has also been studied for its effects on individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder. A pilot study in October of 2008 was held in California, which studied the effects of meditation among mental health workers following Hurricane Katrina. These health workers experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder prior to the meditation intervention. The study revealed that these symptoms decreased significantly after 8 weeks of meditation. The participants also reported an improved sense of well-being. This study suggested that meditation may offer significant benefits as a form of post-disaster intervention.
All these researches suggest that meditation has potential benefits in the management of the various kinds of anxiety disorders. Patients who experience anxiety can take advantage of mindfulness meditation or a combination of meditation and other anti-anxiety therapies in order to reduce their symptoms. Although the results are not always consistent, patients may find it helpful to know that many researches on these techniques conducted in recent years have mostly revealed positive or promising results. There were also no negative side effects noted with the use of meditation on any of these participants. However, in order for meditation therapy to work, it must be practiced regularly and for a long period of time. Several studies also suggested that for those who are just starting out, it might be better and more beneficial to seek the guidance of a professional.
So, will meditation work for anxiety? At the very least, it is obvious that meditation is a safe and acceptable complementary treatment strategy in the management of anxiety. It can relieve stress, make you think more clearly and produce a better outlook in life. So if you’re constantly experiencing symptoms of anxiety, do consider meditation therapy. It won’t hurt to try.
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Since a long time I am moved by spiritual and personal development and love to share this by teaching it to others.
This is what I want to share with you! To learn to focus on using your: inner feelings, Wisdom, Faith, Courage, self acceptance, confidence, Forgiveness and Unconditional Love.
I choose to use guided meditations as this is a great and powerful way to help you in all this, here I will be your personal guide helping you with powerful tools such as visualizations and positive affirmations to balance and improve your life.
You discover that it is a simple, wonderful and infinite source where you can find everything you need.
When people start to let me be their guide, they are inviting change, either consciously or unconsciously. If you are ready to deepen your journey, I would be delighted in being your, coach or companion. Let’s continue enjoying this magical journey of life!
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