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A meditating monk. Transcendental meditation may soon be proposed as an alternative to exposure therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD. Using medications, it has been proven that transcendental meditation alleviates the symptoms of the disease. ( Sasin Tipchai | pixabay )
Transcendental meditation could help soldiers cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, according to a study supported by the US Department of Defense.
During a clinical trial, researchers found that the effects of transcendental meditation were almost equal to the benefits of exposure therapy, a preferred treatment method by the Department of Veterans Affair.
The study was published in the medical journal The lancet.
The problem with exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is the most commonly used psychological treatment for patients with PTSD. This is a psychologist who creates a safe environment in which an individual, in this case a veteran, must relive his combat experiences to reduce his fear.
However, for some, exposure therapy may be too much. Many veterans of the army give up treatment or refuse to try it.
The researchers wanted to find an alternative option that would not involve the confrontation of traumatic experiences. They found that transcendental meditation, along with medication, could be as effective as exposure therapy in patients with PTSD.
Deal with PTSD with meditation
The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of 203 veterans diagnosed with PTSD. The participants were divided into groups: transcendental meditation, exhibition therapy and educational courses. The trial took place over a period of three months.
About 61% of people assigned to transcendental meditation reported a significant improvement in their condition. In comparison, only 42% of members of the exposure treatment group reported that their condition improved after treatment.
On average, transcendental meditation reduced symptoms of PTSD in patients by 14.6%, compared with 8.7% for participants who received exposure treatment.
"Because exposure to injury can be difficult for patients, equally effective treatments that do not require exposure, such as transcendental meditation, may appeal to veterans and other groups with PTSD," said Sanford Nidich of the Maharishi Management University who led the study.
About 10 to 20% of veterans are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and over a third of them do not recover even after many years.
In addition to its psychological benefits, transcendental meditation can be done at home without any additional cost. However, Vernon Barnes, who is not involved in the study, warned that researchers needed to prove larger trials before implementing it on a large scale.
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