Clinical case series: treatment of PTSD with transcendental meditation in active duty military personnel.

Three active duty U.S. Army soldiers with PTSD practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique for 20 minutes twice daily over a 2-month period. The cases demonstrated that providing TM training in a Department of Defense medical facility is feasible. The authors suggest further investigation to determine whether a TM program could serve as an adjunct treatment for PTSD, and they expect the report to expand the complementary and alternative evidence base for clinical care.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Active duty U.S. Army Service Members previously diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were selected from review of patient records in the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic at the Department of Defense Eisenhower Army Medical Center at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. Patients agreed to practice the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique for 20 minutes twice a day for the duration of a 2-month follow-up period. Three cases are presented with results that show the feasibility of providing TM training to active duty soldiers with PTSD in a Department of Defense medical facility. Further investigation is suggested to determine if a TM program could be used as an adjunct for treatment of PTSD. Impact of this report is expected to expand the complementary and alternative evidence base for clinical care of PTSD.