Studies show Buddhist meditation a better remedy for depression than drugs, The Telegraph reports. The study is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.
"Fifteen months after an eight-week trial, 47 per cent of people with long-term depression who underwent the group psychology therapy had suffered a relapse, compared with 60 per cent of those taking anti-depressant drugs.
"Fifteen months after an eight-week trial, 47 per cent of people with long-term depression who underwent the group psychology therapy had suffered a relapse, compared with 60 per cent of those taking anti-depressant drugs.
Professor Willem Kuyken, from the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter, said the technique - known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) - could shorten NHS waiting lists for psychological therapies.
He said: 'Anti-depressants are widely used by people who suffer from depression and that's because they tend to work.
'But, while they're very effective in helping reduce the symptoms of depression, when people come off them they are particularly vulnerable to relapse.
'MBCT takes a different approach - it teaches people skills for life.
'What we have shown is that when people work at it, these skills for life help keep people well.
'Our results suggest MBCT may be a viable alternative for some of the 3.5 million people in the UK known to be suffering from this debilitating condition.' "
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