Research on TM and Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem in the United States. They afflict 40 million U.S. adults—about 18% of the population. Anxiety may be caused or complicated by severe stress. The Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique, because of its powerful ability to reduce stress, has a rapid and large impact on reducing anxiety, significantly more than any other form of meditation or relaxation program. TM® is particularly effective in reducing anxiety for people with elevated anxiety, which makes it especially relevant for veterans suffering from PTSD.

Transcendental Meditation:

The Most Effective Technique for Reducing Anxiety

TM: The Most Effective Technique for Reducing Anxiety
A major review (meta-analysis) of 146 studies on trait anxiety from Stanford found that TM had the largest effect sizes of any technique studied for reducing anxiety. More >

TM: More Effective Than Mindfulness and Other Meditations for Reducing Anxiety

TM More Effective Than Mindfulness and Other Meditations for Reducing Anxiety
A more recent meta-analysis published in Psychological Bulletin, one of the top journals of the American Psychological Association, found that TM had a larger effect size in reducing trait anxiety than mindfulness or other meditation techniques. More >

TM Most Effective for People with High Anxiety

TM Most Effective for People with High Anxiety
A major study reviewing all the research on TM and anxiety found that it is particularly effective in reducing anxiety for people with elevated anxiety. TM rapidly reduces anxiety within the first two weeks of practice. More >
“My clarity and mood have improved… while my panic attack episodes have gone from a daily occurrence to an episode every few weeks… Meditation has done more for me in a period of months than VA prescribed pills have done in the last 10 years.”
—Iraq War Veteran