When shrinks put mindfulness on the couch
May 02, 2014
At a recent conference of the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, psychiatrists weighed the advisability of adding mindfulness to the tool set of mental health patients and practitioners. Researchers have begun to investigate the effects on mental health symptoms of such mindfulness practices as walking meditation, body scan meditation (awareness of each part of the body in turn), mindful eating, yoga, and mindful listening. Interest in this approach has grown as patients seek to balance their reliance on an increasing number of psychiatric medications. According to one study, a third of psychiatric outpatients are on three or more drugs. “We’re witnessing a culture that is focused and organized in some ways around medication as a primary form of treatment,” said Zev Schuman-Olivier of Harvard Medical School, who was a speaker at the conference. “On the other hand, people can overstate the power of mindfulness intervention.” A paper published recently by JAMA reviewed 47 studies and concluded that the effect of a mindfulness meditation program was significant and should be investigated further, but should not be seen as a direct competitor to medication. Lead author Madhav Goyal of Johns Hopkins University’s Department of Medicine said: “It’s not a statement that’s saying you can replace antidepressants with this. What it’s saying is that we’re finding an effect of these programs and the effect is something that is at least as big as what you would see with an antidepressant in other studies, and that’s something to pay attention to.” Many patients choose to combine both approaches.
Spark Extra! Learn more about the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society.