Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common disorder among veterans that affects their quality of life. According to the researchers, such cases can be treated by meditation and mindfulness-therapy which is a natural effective cure with no side effects.
Two groups of veterans were selected and given sessions of this therapy at different time intervals. The results showed that 49 percent of the veterans reported reduction in the PTSD symptoms as compared to the 28 percent that did not undergo meditation therapy.
A report published by Polusny and colleagues in JAMA (the journal of the American Medical Association) showed maximum cases (roughly one in four) of PTSD returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
A similar treatment known as present-centered group therapy helps in the development of problem-solving and coping mechanisms and is said to be very effective in treating the symptoms of PTSD.
These two therapies were experimented randomly on 116 veterans in 2012 and 2013 and it was concluded that the mindfulness-based therapy is better than the present-centered group therapy despite of being time consuming.
Dr. Alan Peterson (a psychologist at the Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio who specializes in combat-related PTSD) called these relaxation training and stress reduction techniques as "aspirin of the behavioural medicine".
Meditation and yoga exercises rejuvenate the body mechanism and helps in creating awareness of the present moment thus improving the overall quality of life.
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