ScienceMadeSimple: Easy Explanations for Everyone

Table of Contents Introduction How the Study Worked Key Findings What We Still Don’t Know Why It Matters Disclaimer Acknowledgements Introduction Anxiety and depression affect millions and often come together — making daily life, work and relationships harder. Alongside medication and traditional psychotherapy, many people are turning to mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) — structured programs that teach practices like meditation, mindful breathing, and present-moment awareness. But do these approaches actually help? A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis published in Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2017 pooled evidence from dozens of trials to answer that question. This article breaks down what the review found, how confident we can be in the results, and what it means for people, clinicians, and health systems. How the Study Worked The author...