Transcendental meditation for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy November 1, 2018 Seung Suk Kang, Christopher R Erbes, Greg J Lamberty et al.
Transcendental Meditation (TM), a mantra-based technique, appears to be an acceptable and effective treatment for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a pilot study of 29 veterans (20.7% female), eight weeks of TM instruction led to reductions in PTSD symptoms, experiential avoidance, and depressive and somatic symptoms, along with increases in mindfulness and quality of life. These gains were maintained or improved at a two-month follow-up. Electroencephalography (EEG) showed increased low-frequency (1-7 Hz) spectral power during meditation states at posttreatment and follow-up, indicating TM-specific changes in brain state. The findings warrant further study of TM's outcomes and beneficial brain changes.