Mindfulness meditation as effective as best anti depressant

[sayak83]

The linked article speaks for itself. Here is a tangible positive and demonstrable benefit of a practice developed thousands of years ago by the founder of one of the great religions. Perhaps they knew something about human mind and human consciousness after all?....

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022...tress-reduction-effective-antidepressant.html

A guided mindfulness-based stress reduction program was as effective as use of the gold-standard drug—the common antidepressant drug escitalopram—for patients with anxiety disorders, according to results of a first-of-its-kind, randomized clinical trial led by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.


Drugs that are currently prescribed for the disorders can be very effective, but many patients either have difficulty getting them, do not respond to them, or find the side effects (e.g., nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness) as a barrier to consistent treatment. Standardized mindfulness-based interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can decrease anxiety, but prior to this study, the interventions had not been studied in comparison to effective anti-anxiety drugs.

 

[Debater Slayer]

A lot of the practices in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy have roots in Dharmic religions, meditation, and Stoic philosophy. Many of the ancients were far from ignorant or primitive, and a lot of their wisdom has played an integral part in the development of multiple important fields today such as medicine, natural science, anthropology, mathematics, and psychology.

 

[crossfire]

The linked article speaks for itself. Here is a tangible positive and demonstrable benefit of a practice developed thousands of years ago by the founder of one of the great religions. Perhaps they knew something about human mind and human consciousness after all?....

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022...tress-reduction-effective-antidepressant.html

A guided mindfulness-based stress reduction program was as effective as use of the gold-standard drug—the common antidepressant drug escitalopram—for patients with anxiety disorders, according to results of a first-of-its-kind, randomized clinical trial led by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.


Drugs that are currently prescribed for the disorders can be very effective, but many patients either have difficulty getting them, do not respond to them, or find the side effects (e.g., nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness) as a barrier to consistent treatment. Standardized mindfulness-based interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can decrease anxiety, but prior to this study, the interventions had not been studied in comparison to effective anti-anxiety drugs.

I think mindfulness should be taught to children in schools instead of handing out ADHD drugs like candy. We might also end up with fewer depressed teens.

 

[Secret Chief]

The linked article speaks for itself. Here is a tangible positive and demonstrable benefit of a practice developed thousands of years ago by the founder of one of the great religions. Perhaps they knew something about human mind and human consciousness after all?....

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022...tress-reduction-effective-antidepressant.html

A guided mindfulness-based stress reduction program was as effective as use of the gold-standard drug—the common antidepressant drug escitalopram—for patients with anxiety disorders, according to results of a first-of-its-kind, randomized clinical trial led by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center.


Drugs that are currently prescribed for the disorders can be very effective, but many patients either have difficulty getting them, do not respond to them, or find the side effects (e.g., nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness) as a barrier to consistent treatment. Standardized mindfulness-based interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can decrease anxiety, but prior to this study, the interventions had not been studied in comparison to effective anti-anxiety drugs.

From the British public health service website:

"Studies show that mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression."

- Mindfulness

 

[cladking]

We have a great deal of control over ourselves if we merely accept that hypnotized individuals can get blisters from imagined burns and people can get complete relief from imagined medications (placebos).

How could anyone one think there is no placebo effect without placebos?

We can learn to simply will away annoying sounds and ignore even compulsions and obsessions. We have virtually complete control over the environment, our bodies, and our reactions to stimuli.

These are simply corollaries to what is known and established fact.

Yes, ancient people were well aware of all of this because ancient people could see consciousness directly instead of through layers of beliefs, models, and book learning. They saw not only their own consciousness but were in sync with all consciousness. We simply forgot when we became "homo omnisciencis".

 

[Sand Dancer]

I think mindfulness should be taught to children in schools instead of handing out ADHD drugs like candy. We might also end up with fewer depressed teens.

That won't fly in US. Meditation is satanic or some crap.

 

[Joshua Pryce]

Drugs that are currently prescribed for the disorders can be very effective, but many patients either have difficulty getting them, do not respond to them, or find the side effects (e.g., nausea, sexual dysfunction and drowsiness) as a barrier to consistent treatment. Standardized mindfulness-based interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can decrease anxiety, but prior to this study, the interventions had not been studied in comparison to effective anti-anxiety drugs.

What is the difference between one drug and another. Nothing but side effects. True meditation is spiritual and taps into the essence of the spirit. This creates a substantial long term effect instead of a temporal cure.

 

[cladking]

Since this thread is back on page one anyway I should point out that what is being called "mindfulness" here can only be effective when the individual is experiencing little or no stress. Certainly one can come to experience little or no stress through the mental techniques under discussion here but no matter how well or poorly an individual manages stress various things like disease states and environmental factors can conspire to cause it. You can't think your way out of a heart attack or a choke hold. One needs peace to meditate or think. Our culture does a relatively poor job of providing peace. It's always a race with goals and quarterly reports.

 

[cladking]

I think mindfulness should be taught to children in schools instead of handing out ADHD drugs like candy. We might also end up with fewer depressed teens.

I believe one will learn most of this stuff naturally by being given standards and goals as children. This means punishment and rewards. One naturally learns what is needed to succeed.

Now days once the desire to learn is drilled out of kids they are bored and start acting up making drugging them necessary.

Like lots of kids (especially boys) I often had trouble paying attention on warm spring days when I was 13. But just as I was given no pass when letters danced around on the page when I was in first grade I was still held accountable. Being punished for things beyond your control gives great impetus for finding control.

 

[crossfire]

Since this thread is back on page one anyway I should point out that what is being called "mindfulness" here can only be effective when the individual is experiencing little or no stress. Certainly one can come to experience little or no stress through the mental techniques under discussion here but no matter how well or poorly an individual manages stress various things like disease states and environmental factors can conspire to cause it. You can't think your way out of a heart attack or a choke hold. One needs peace to meditate or think. Our culture does a relatively poor job of providing peace. It's always a race with goals and quarterly reports.

I believe one will learn most of this stuff naturally by being given standards and goals as children. This means punishment and rewards. One naturally learns what is needed to succeed.

Now days once the desire to learn is drilled out of kids they are bored and start acting up making drugging them necessary.

Like lots of kids (especially boys) I often had trouble paying attention on warm spring days when I was 13. But just as I was given no pass when letters danced around on the page when I was in first grade I was still held accountable. Being punished for things beyond your control gives great impetus for finding control.

Alright, so you first claim "mindfulness" can only be effective when there is little or no stress, but then you say stressing children by punishing them will make them learn this naturally? Am I understanding you correctly?

 

[cladking]

Alright, so you first claim "mindfulness" can only be effective when there is little or no stress, but then you say stressing children by punishing them will make them learn this naturally?

Do children usually experience stress? I'm sure some do some times but kids who lived through the depression said they never even noticed except there wasn't always enough to eat.

Getting your knuckles rapped or getting sent to the principal's office isn't very stressful. Expecting to be punished for bad behavior is stressful leading most children to exhibit good behavior. The few who respond negatively were probably lost causes anyway. Kids would rather have fun and learn than have disruptive influences and restrictions.

I'm old school and so is my math but it looks to me like the schools failed as punishments, repercussions, and adult responsibility were removed from them. Now days the worst school system in the country that fails most boys and can't be bothered to teach is at war with the state of Arizona. This all adds up. The school board isn't responsible and the kids are in no danger of being punished. Schools have become indoctrination sites and their leaders more concerned with everything but education.