Meditation Based Lifestyle Modification in Depression

Meditation Based Lifestyle Modification in Depression: a Randomized Controlled Trial

To evaluate effectiveness of a 8-week behavioral Mind-Body-Intervention based on Yoga and Meditation in depressive outpatients.

As a contribution to the field of Integral Medicine, Meditation Based Lifestyle Modification (MBLM) is a holistic therapy for patients with mental disorders. Influenced by Ayurveda and Yoga, it uses mantra meditation, ethical conduct and healthy life style to promote physical, mental and spiritual health. MBLM explains processes within the body and the mind and their relation to diet, exercise, biorhythms, social and personal conduct in an easy but profound way and on an experiential level. Besides providing tools for physical, mental and emotional self-regulation, MBLM lays ground for personal growth and transcendence of the mind. It is intended to be implemented in groups of patients as well as individual daily training, and because of its modular structure can be adjusted in intensity, duration and weighting of the components according to the specific needs and disorders to be addressed. This makes it also eligible for its potential use in prevention of mental disease and treatment of psychic comorbidities in patients with chronic somatic illness.

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects must meet the following criteria to be enrolled:

1. Outpatients
2. Written informed consent by patients who are competent to consent to study participation
3. Diagnosis of current mild or moderate episode of depression diagnosed by a consultant psychiatrist
4. Male or female ≥18 years of age
5. BDI-II >= 10
6. Patients must be physically able to perform simple Yoga postures and to sit silently for 20 minutes

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients will be excluded for ANY ONE of the following reasons:

1. Psychotic Symptoms
2. Acute suicidal tendencies
3. Compulsive disorders
4. Cerebro-organic diseases with clinically relevant symptoms
5. Severe multimorbidity
6. Clinically relevant addictions (tobacco abuse or addiction is allowed)
7. Current participation in another trial