Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Meditation Reduces Symptoms of Depression

In a preliminary study conducted by psychologists at Oxford University, subjects with severe and recurrent depression improved with a combination of meditation and cognitive behavior therapy. The results of a small-scale randomized trial of the approach, called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), are published in the journal Behaviour Research and Therapy. 28 people currently suffering from depression, having also had previous episodes of depression and thoughts of suicide, were randomly assigned to two groups. One received MBCT in addition to treatment as usual, while the other just received treatment as usual. Treatment with MBCT resulted in reduced symptoms of major depression, while levels of depression remained the same in the control group.

I have used this approach in my practice for many years, combining relaxation and meditation techniques with cognitive behavior therapy.

No comments: