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Does Meditation Help with Anxiety?

Meditation DOES help with anxiety.

More Info: Meditation is used widely in hospitals and medical centers today because it is recognized by the medical community as a method of treating chronic stress, anxiety and even pain related disorders.

Meditation in General

Meditation is defined as the act of engaging in mental exercise, such as concentrating on one's breathing or repeating a mantra, for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.

The origins of meditation are the subject of much debate. However, historical data shows that it has its roots in the Indian Buddhist religion. The principles of Buddhism propose that through meditation, the mind can be transformed into one that is clear and accepting, one that is free of judgment. It is believed that through this way of thinking, negative conditions, specifically anxiety, can be cured. Meditation entails the training of the mind, the end result of which is a calm state of mind and outlook.

Meditation Has Immediate and Long-Term Benefits in Reducing Anxiety

According to one study, patients who were diagnosed with anxiety disorders immediately experienced less anxiety during and immediately after an eight-week meditation program.

Another study measured the activity in the left-side of the brain, which is associated with positive emotions. According to the study, there was a significant reduction in anxiety for subjects in the meditation group measured from the start of the experiment until its conclusion.

Thus the study concluded that the subjects who engaged in meditation had a significant increase in their positive emotions, which had a direct effect in reducing feelings of anxiety on the subjects.

Not only is meditation effective in treating anxiety for short time frames, as when it was done within period such experiments were done. Meditation has also proven to be effective in managing anxiety disorders for long periods of time, when continued on a regular basis. Thus, researchers conclude that meditation has long-term beneficial effects in the treatment of anxiety disorders.