Mindfulness Training May Reduce PTSD Symptoms

The mass implementation of mindfulness training may help war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) better manage their disturbing memories and thoughts. In this pilot study, 23 United States veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars practiced either mindfulness mediation or participated in another form of therapy over a four-month period. MRI scans revealed that those who engaged in mindfulness training developed stronger connections in the brain networks associated with both inner, sometimes wandering thoughts and in shifting and directing attention. Study co-leader Dr. Anthony King adds, “The brain findings suggest that mindfulness training may have helped the veterans develop more capacity to shift their attention and get themselves out of being ‘stuck’ in painful cycles of thoughts.”
Depression and Anxiety, April 2016