Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

Anxiety disorders, along with depression, are among the most common mental disorders in the world today. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and affects 350 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Treatment for the conditions are wide-ranging, from prescription drugs to counseling and therapy, but none have proven to have a universal effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf2OVW-8OdY

Scientists are currently trialling meditation and, more controversially, psychedelic drugs as potential treatments due to their perspective-altering effect on the mind. Scientists hope that could help release people from being locked into depressive, or worrying, thoughts.

But recent work has begun investigating whether these two contrasting treatments activate the same regions of the brain to give similar benefits.

Meditation or psychedelics?

"Meditation interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing stress and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf2OVW-8OdY