Over 40 million adults in the United States struggle with anxiety. Both medication and meditation practices, including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), have previously proved helpful for alleviating symptoms. But in a new study out of Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC), researchers compared the two treatments directly for the first time — and found them to be equally effective.
The six-month trial included 208 adults with a mean age of 33 years, 75% of whom were women, and involved an eight-week treatment course. Half of the participants were given escitalopram, a generic version of the commonly prescribed antidepressant Lexapro. The other half participated in daily 45-minute MBSR sessions, as well as a 2 1/2-hour weekly meeting and a daylong retreat during weeks five or six.
They were then surveyed at the end of the two months, as well as at 12 and 24 weeks from the start of the study. Assessments were conducted by trained evaluators who did not know whether the participants had received medication or MBSR. Both groups reported about a 30% drop in their anxiety levels, according to a press release from GUMC.
The results not only offer further evidence that MBSR is a viable alternative for people who may not want to take medication, they could also encourage physicians to recommend the treatment and insurers and health care systems to cover the costs — which can run between $300 and $500 for an eight-week session, according to The Associated Press.
