Mindfulness exercises could be just as effective as anxiety drugs, study finds

BOSTON – A new study finds mindfulness could be just as effective as drugs at treating anxiety.

In a randomized clinical trial, researchers at Georgetown University assigned 276 people with anxiety to receive either a guided mindfulness-based stress reduction program or a popular antidepressant, escitalopram.

Both groups experienced about a 30% drop in the severity of their anxiety symptoms.

Mindfulness techniques do require an investment of time to reap the mental health benefits, but drugs used to treat anxiety disorders can have unwanted side effects and some people do not respond well to them.