Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and executive director of the Mindsight Institute, once said, “Why not try a ‘t’ instead of a ‘c’? Meditation instead of medication?”

While this may not be a smart idea while dealing with physical injuries and ailments, it is worth pondering over how it could affect our mental health. Could opting for meditation instead of antidepressants and antianxiety be as effective? Could using fewer prescriptions lead to fewer side effects and overall better quality of life? Can meditation truly bring me peace like most people claim?

Can Meditation Be As Effective As Medication? 

To determine the effects of a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy regime, Zindel V. Segal, Ph.D., conducted a study along with his team from the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. The study sample consisted of people whose depression had gone into remission. 

The purpose of the study, which was published in Archives of General Psychiatry, was to determine where there was an alternative to antidepressants with fewer side effects. The fact that up to 40% of the patients who try to maintain their remission fail to adhere to their medical regimes. Therefore, having a substitute could have been helpful in such situations. 

The patients were then split into three groups; one which continued their regular medicines, one which had their regular medicines replaced with a placebo, and one group received mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (8 weekly group meetings) instead of any medication. 

The therapy encouraged the patients to learn how to monitor and notice their feelings, body sensations, and thoughts associated with depression, and convert these into opportunities for self-reflection. To accomplish this goal, they were given daily homework assignments that included recordings of guided awareness exercises, creating an ‘action plan’ with practical strategies in case any warning signs of relapse are noticed, and practicing self-compassion in times of difficulty. 

The levels of relapse were examined after an 18-month period. The group that had maintained their medical regime gas a relapse rate of 46%. Whereas, the mindfulness group has a relapse rate of only 38%. On the other hand, the placebo group had a whopping 60% relapse rate. 

The results of this experiment proved that mindfulness may be slightly more effective than antidepressants in preventing relapses or reoccurrences of depression. 

Should We Completely Give Up On Antidepressants?

No. The results of such studies do not, in any way, imply that antidepressants should be cut out immediately. If you are currently on any antidepressants or any medication regime for your mental health, do not stop taking the meds just yet. In any circumstance, it is important to consult your prescribing practitioner before deciding to make any changes in your medication. 

A lot of the time, medications are necessary to manage mental health conditions. However, it is important to discuss the matter with your psychiatrists and figure out how crucial these medications are for you. And if possible, it may be worth it to try meditation instead.