Meditation more effective than drugs at beating depression

But does this not open the door for someone to push there Spirituality belief unto you?

I think this is really good, I don't think this could be a medium for people to push their spirituality on people, especially because there's no mention of religion or anything.

hmm, i'm still doubtful. it says this is the only study thus far that proves this. I wonder if it can be recreated. AND there were only 123 people in the study.

Now just watch as the drug companies try to patent meditation by calling it 'mindfulness-based cognitive therapy'

Is the APA that stuck on itself that they need to re-brand something that has worked well ever since Patanjali?

Mindfulness is an incredibly effective approach to daily life that everyone should practice. It has nothing to do with religion, and if anything it will make you even less susceptible to falling into someone else's trap. It's used to help stray away from the biases that make you learn bad mental habits.

From Wikipedia: "Mindfulness is concentrated awareness of one's thoughts, actions or motivations."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness

I urge you to take a minute to look into this. It has done wonders for me and has definitely improved my quality of life.

I have found my depression to be related to my thinking of lack.

I get short sighted at times and I forget that life is bountiful and there is always plenty. Life is always creating more and we being part of life have it within our own being to create the things we desire and want.

That being said, It takes effort at times to get re-focused and feeling good about knowing I can achieve if I believe and bring it into existence.

Unlock your Full Potential: Free your mind of fears, Let go of limiting beliefs and Live Learn Love, Understand Grow- Evolve, Create Greatness and share it with the world...

What is your experience with Postive Thinking?

The benefits of meditation have been varified over many thousands of years. It is powerful and effective - if it was not the practice would have died off in it's early years. The problem is that it takes effort, will and discipline particularly in our frantic modern age whereas popping a pill takes none but only gives you a pseudo happiness. Now I'm not saying pills are not useful but they do not get to the root whereas mediation does.

Seems like a good idea to me. Similar to the AA where you don't go at it alone.

How can anyone argue against meditation? To quiet one's mind; to still the idle chatter; to be awake; these are good things

Weed works better.

There is no spoon.

I find that meditating every night before I go to bed helps me have a more restful night & inner calm the next day. I end every meditation session with a thanks to God and an Amen. We call this prayer where I come from.

another thing, i'm sure that meditation can help because it does wonders for one's self awareness. it will help a person determine what changes their mood. BUT, it cannot change the physiology of the brain. If a person's brain does not produce enough seratonin or other neurotransmitters that have been proven to be a contributor if not possible cause of depression, then simply thinking positively cannot help the situation.

Div, that is untrue. Restructuring one's thinking- which is what meditation helps to do- can restructure the brain. It has been shown in many studies that the brain structure and functioning actually changes with certain non-medication therapies- like cognitive, behavioral, and meditation therapies.

The idea that the brain can only be helped by meds is one that pharmaceutical companies would like us to think. Westerners also like quick fixes to things and will settle for a fast pill, even if it barely works, rather than do long term work, even if it benefits them greatly.

I am glad this research is getting out there. Medication should be an absolute LAST RESORT. It's very bad for you.

meditation along with a proper diet. i find that many of the people who have mental problems like ADD, depression, etc... would be better off fixing the problem with proper diet and exercise than with drugs. drugs treat the symptoms, never the cause.

eating poorly is definitely a major cause of brain chemical imbalances.

meditation is the hardest medicine to swallow. drugs can never heal emotional pain.

Medication should only be the final answer. Diet, Exercise, Meditation, and Psychiatric Counseling should always come first.

This reminds me of statistics I'd heard before that showed it was virtually impossible for someone exercising three times a week to stay depressed, but the catch is how do you motivate someone suffering from depression to exercise, or to meditate?

Yoga for me takes care of the body, mind and spirit, I think it is the best form of meditation because of all the focusing on your balance and deep breating,and the stretching is awesome!

L1beration puts forth a good point. I go through cycles in which I have this problem. You pretty much need to get to a certain threshold point at which there is enough motivation to start exercising, meditating, eating right, etc. When I get to these low points, I tend to completely start over from step one (this has happened hundreds of times, and it's extremely frustrating). I'm actually starting a low dosage of an SSRI soon to see if it will keep me above that threshold, and use it as an experiential therapy for a trial period, rather than a quick-fix or a 'happy pill'.

Meditation is a lot better, it helps more than drugs...focus..

yeah i assumed that would have been a good way to get rid of some inner demons/relax the hell out of ya lol. sometimes, yoga just aint enough.

i think its a lot better than dabbling in medication first.

So true.

meditation may work better, but its less profitable for major pharm companies, so i am not a fan....