IM2 staffers enjoy digging through clinical studies on the benefits of MBSR. To go even further, in 2023 one of our collaborators participated in a clinical trial conducted by a major US university to see if the 8 week MBSR course would lower lab values for diabetic patients. That study lasted 6 months and has not been completed. (And, yes, the staffer's lab values did drop significantly during the time of participation.)

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Also in 2023, a study in JAMA Psychiatry concluded "The results from this randomized clinical trial comparing a standardized evidence-based mindfulness-based intervention with pharmacotherapy for the treatment of anxiety disorders found that MBSR was noninferior to escitalopram". The "mindfulness-based intervention" was MBSR and escitalopram is better known by its brand name - Lexapro. What does "MBSR was noninferior to escitalopram" mean? Well, you can check out the study here.

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One of our founders and our lead instructor received his MBSR instructor certification at UMass (he also received instructor certification through Brown University) so Imagine Mindfulness appreciates the contribution of that institution in the promotion of MBSR. In keeping with their historic, ongoing role The Center For Mindfulness at UMass Memorial Medical Center provides a list of health conditions that have responded positively to mindfulness practices and MBSR (link to CFM/UMass). For your convenience we include the UMass list here:

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Anxiety (Hoge, Bui, Marques, Metcalf, Morris, Robinaugh, et. al., 2013)

Asthma (Pbert, Madison, Druker, Olendzki, Magner, Reed, et. al., 2012)

Cancer (Carlson, Doll, Stephen, Faris, Tamagawa, Drysdale, & Speca, 2013)

Chronic Pain (Reiner, Tibi, & Lipsitz, 2013)

Diabetes (Hartmann, Kopf, Kircher, Faude-Lang, Djuric, Augstein, et. al., 2012)

Fibromyalgia (Schmidt, Grossman, Schwarzer, Jena, Naumann, & Walach, 2011)

Gastrointestinal Disorders (Zernicke, Campbell, Blustein, Fung, Johnson, Bacon, & Carlson, 2013)

Heart Disease (Sullivan, Wood, Terry, Brantley, Charles, McGee, Johnson, et. al., 2009)

HIV (Duncan, Moskowitz, Neilands, Dilworth, Hecht, & Johnson, 2012)

Hot Flashes (Carmody, Crawford, Salmoirago-Blotcher, Leung, Churchill, & Olendzki, 2011)

Hypertension (Hughes, Fresco, Myerscough, van Dulmen, Carlson, & Josephson, 2013)

Major Depression (MBCT, Chiesa & Serretti, 2011)

Mood Disorders (Hofmann, Sawyer, Witt, & Oh, 2010)

Sleep Disturbances (Andersen, Wurtzen, Steding-Jessen, Christensen, Andersen, Flyger, et. al., 2013)

Stress Disorders (Kearney, McDermott, Malte, Martinez, & Simpson, 2012)

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Interested in MBSR and children/adolescents? Click here.

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