This review examines meditation as a therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a complex psycho-physiological-behavioral condition. Meditation, a mind-to-body psychobehavioral therapy, is gaining popularity as an adjunct treatment in medicine and psychology. While not conclusive, available evidence suggests meditation is associated with overall reduction in PTSD symptoms and improves mental and somatic quality of life. The authors indicate that meditation techniques may be tried as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy or as standalone treatment in resistant cases.
Two fundamentally different meditation techniques—Zazen (seated meditation) and Tai Chi (meditation in motion)—both significantly enhanced openness to experience, a personality dimension of the Big Five Model, in 48 healthy volunteers aged 39-50. The enhanced openness was associated with improved strategies for coping with stress, with meditators showing less avoidance-oriented approaches to perceived stress and improved mood compared to non-meditating controls. The findings suggest that enhanced openness to experience could shape one's desire to maintain a meditation regimen. Both types of meditation are conducive to mental health by improving general well-being, counteracting stress, and leading to better vigor of spirit, and may be considered a modest adjunct to psychotherapy.