Mindfulness ‘can benefit inflammatory bowel disease patients’

A new study has indicated that meditation and other mindfulness-based techniques can be of benefit to patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

The research evaluated a mindfulness-based stress reduction programme tailored for patients with IBD, including 60 adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, with 24 of these having active disease at the time of the study.

Interventions consisted of eight weekly group sessions, plus a daylong intensive session led by an experienced instructor. They included guided meditation, exercises designed to enhance mindfulness in daily life, and group discussions of challenges and experiences.

It was shown that participants experienced greater reductions in anxiety and depression scores, as well as improvement in physical and psychological quality of life. They also had higher scores on a questionnaire measuring various aspects of mindfulness.

The significant reduction in depression and improvement in quality of life persisted after six months, with a trend toward reduced anxiety. Patients reported being highly satisfied with the intervention.

Study leader Dr David Castle, a psychiatrist at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, said: "This work reinforces the interaction between physical and mental aspects of functioning, and underscores the importance of addressing both aspects in all our patients."