Is Meditation as Effective as Medication in Treating Anxiety?

Meditation might be as effective as medication in treating anxiety, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

The two-month study included 276 patients diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. Half were given a common antidepressant — escitalopram (Lexapro) — and the other half participated in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Both groups reported moderate improvements: a 20% reduction in symptoms at the end of the study, regardless of their treatment.

There’s an important “but” at the end of that conclusion, said Carla Schnitzlein, DO, a psychiatrist and medical director of Natchaug Hospital. Anyone under a doctor’s care that includes a prescription to manage anxiety or depression should not stop their current course of treatment without consulting their provider.

“There’s a lot of temptation for people to find a natural means to manage depression and anxiety, but like anything else, these are medical conditions,” she said. “Sometimes there’s a chemical, sometimes there’s a hormone, sometimes there is something physiological that the medication really benefits. People shouldn’t just stop the medication that works.”

Learn more about how to maximize ways to treat your depression here.