Mindfulness meditation is a technique that uses our attention. It is a state of attentive presence, where the individual is concentrated on his internal, external experience and his thoughts. It allows to focus on the present moment, without judgment.
A study on the decrease in anxiety through meditation
This technique was therefore analyzed as part of a study, carried out by Professor Eric Bui and three American sisters. Objective: to demonstrate that the results of the meditation are equivalent to those of pharmacotherapy in patients with anxious disorders.
For this, the team studied 208 volunteers with anxiety disorders, from June 2018 to February 2020. They were split into two groups. The first group, with 102 people, was trained in mindfulness meditation by specialized instructors. They practiced daily exercises, 45 minutes per session. The other group, with the other 106 patients, was put on Escitaprolum, an antidepressant prescribed against certain manifestations of anxiety, dosed in a flexible manner between 10 and 20 mg.
A reduction in anxiety equivalent in the two groups
Anxiety has been measured in the two groups and estimated by a score called CGI-S, or global printing scale, often used in clinical studies. According to Professor Bui, interviewed by our colleagues from Ouest France, it was estimated at 4.44 for the Meditation group and 4.51 for the group under treatment. After the study, he fell for the Meditation group at 1.35 and 1.43 for the group under treatment.
Meditation: a new treatment for anxious disorders?
According to Eric Bui, that “shows that the results of mindfulness meditation are equivalent to those of pharmacotherapy “. Conclusions that open the door to a non -drug approach, in fact generating fewer adverse effects, to effectively treat anxiety disorders.