A mindfulness meditation course may be as effective at reducing anxiety as a common medication, according to a new study.
The research, published on November 9 in JAMA Psychiatry, involved a group of 276 adults with untreated anxiety disorders. Half of the patients were randomly selected to take 10 to 20 mg of escitalopram, the generic form of Lexapro, a common medication used to treat anxiety and depression. The other half were assigned to an eight-week course in mindfulness-based stress reduction.
The results were stunning: Both groups experienced about a 20% reduction in their anxiety symptoms over the eight-week period.
Elizabeth Hoge, the lead author on the study and the director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program at Georgetown University Medical Center, told CNN that she hopes the research can open up more treatment options for patients with anxiety.
“Lexapro is a great drug; I prescribe it a lot,” she said. “But it’s not for everyone.”
Meditation could be prescribed in lieu of medication for patients who experience severe side effects or have allergies to anti-anxiety medications, for instance, Hoge says. And starting meditation could also be a first step for people who have untreated anxiety and are wary of medication.
