Reducing Anxiety

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Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A.O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L.G., Fletcher, K.E., Pbert, L., Lenderking, W.R., & Santorelli, S.F. (1992).  Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders.  American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 936-943.  Study of 22 patients referred for meditation and relaxation program who had generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder (ages 26-65, 17 women).  The intervention consisted of a 8-week long course involving weekly 2-hour classes and a 7.5 hour intensive meditation retreat session in week six.  Subjects were assessed at the start and end of intervention and at monthly intervals for 3 months after treatment.  A significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression was identified during treatment and maintained for at least 3 months after treatment ended.  The authors indicated that a 3-year follow up showed that 18/22 subjects maintained these beneficial effects.

Azhar, M.Z., Varma, S.L., Dharap, A.S. (1994).  Religious psychotherapy in anxiety disorder patients.  Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 90, 1-3.  Investigators randomized 62 Muslim patients with generalized anxiety disorder to either traditional treatment (supportive psychotherapy and anxiolytic drugs) or traditional treatment plus religious psychotherapy.  Religious psychotherapy involved use of prayer and reading verses of the Holy Koran specific to the person's situation.  Patients receiving religious psychotherapy experienced more rapid improvement in anxiety symptoms than those receiving traditional therapy.

Koenig, H.G., Cohen, H.J., Blazer, D.G., Pieper, C., & Meador, K.G., Shelp, G., Goli, V., & Dipasquale, R. (1992).  Religious coping and depression in elderly hospitalized medically ill men.  American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 1693-1700.  In a consecutive sample of 850 elderly men acutely admitted to the hospital, investigators found that patients who used prayer and religious belief to help them cope were significantly less depressed, among a subgroup of 201 subjects, extent of prayer and belief predicted lower depression scores 6 months later.  There are over 100 other studies showing that those who are more religiously active experience lower rates of depression, commit suicide less often, and have greater well-being (Koenig et al 2000).

Reducing Chronic Pain

Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., & Burney, R. (1985).  The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain.  Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 8, 163-190.  Investigators compared patients in two hospital clinics involving.  One hospital clinic treated patients using "mindfulness meditation"; 90 chronic pain patients received 10 weeks of a Stress-Reduction and Relaxation Program (SSRP).  In these patients, investigators found statistically significant reductions in pain symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological symptoms.  Pain-related drug utilization also decreased and self-esteem increased.  Improvements was independent of sex, source of referral or type of pain.  A comparison group of patients in the other hospital pain clinic (n-21) and referrals to the SRRP from the pain clinic (n=21) did not show similar improvement after traditional treatment protocols.  At follow-up improvements were maintained for 15 months for all measures except on measure of pain: the majority of subjects reported high compliance with daily meditation.

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