Mindfulness may be effective for difficult-to-treat depression, study finds

Credit: Getty/Constantinis

By Olivia Bowthorpe

A UK study has found that mindfulness can be an effective treatment for patients with major depressive disorder who have not benefitted from NHS talking therapies services.

Researchers compared outcomes for 234 people randomly assigned to either mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual, or just treatment as usual.¹

Immediately after treatment and when followed up at 34 weeks, the MBCT group had significantly lower depression symptoms, according to study co-author Dr Florian Ruths, consultant psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

More treatment approaches are needed as about 50% of people with depression still have symptoms when they reach the end of the pathway offered by NHS talking services, the paper said.

The results published in Lancet Psychiatry estimated there is a 91% probability that MBCT with usual treatment is less costly and more effective than the standard approach.

Dr Ruths told Doctors.net.uk: "Mindfulness-based interventions are becoming more recognised among medical doctors as powerful tools to help patients and doctors themselves.