Here's an interesting piece of research which finds that mindfulness based cognitive therapy is as effective as anti-depressants.
I first found out about it on the Horizon programme on meditation earlier this year. As I mentioned at the time mindfulness based cognitive therapy was showing promising results, so it's good to see them in black and white.
Over the 15 months after the trial, 47% of the group following the MBCT course experienced a relapse compared with 60% of those continuing their normal treatment, including anti-depressant drugs. In addition, the group on the MBCT programme reported a higher quality of life, in terms of their overall enjoyment of daily living and physical well-being.Much of the approach used was based on Buddhist meditation techniques and trained people to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past or planning the future. It will be interesting to see if it is included in the approaches used in the government's Improving Access to Psychological Therapy programme, which we heard last week would encompass more than just CBT.
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