Studies say it is comparable to an antidepressant

Can therapy replace medications in the treatment of anxiety disorders? Scientists have discovered a promising recent approach to treating anxiety disorders using mindfulness therapy.

A recent study found that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy may be as effective as antidepressants for some anxiety disorders, providing a viable alternative for people looking for non-pharmaceutical relief options.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy is a form of meditation originally designed to deal with stress, but is now used to treat a wide range of conditions. This includes conditions such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and immune disorders.

Anxiety disorders are often treated with medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, many people hesitate to undergo treatment, fearing side effects that may adversely affect their quality of life.

The latest, paving the way for recent alternative treatment strategies with fewer side effects test published in JAMA Network Open found that MBSR may be as effective as the antidepressant escitalopram in relieving symptoms of agoraphobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

The drug escitalopram, sold under the brand names Lexapro and Cipralex, has side effects such as nausea, headaches, arid mouth, excessive sweating, insomnia and fatigue.

The research team had previously found that MBSR could provide stress relief and emotional regulation comparable to escitalopram. In the latest study, they examined how symptoms of anxiety, depression and quality of life affected 276 patients taking either MBSR or escitalopram at a dose of 10–20 mg daily for eight weeks.

Participants were people diagnosed with anxiety disorders such as agoraphobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

At the end of the study, researchers noted that no significant differences in overall anxiety reduction were detected between MBSR and escitalopram. Although escitalopram showed a slight improvement in symptom relief by week 4, this improvement was not maintained at the end of the study.

Another striking finding was that almost 79% of people taking escitalopram reported at least one study-related side effect, while only 15% of people in the mindfulness group experienced side effects.

“Overall, our findings are consistent with previous work demonstrating the effectiveness of mindfulness in the treatment of panic and social anxiety disorders,” the researchers concluded.