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Transcendental Meditation reduces ADHD symptoms among students: Dissatisfaction with medication spurs interest in Meditation

The Transcendental Meditation technique may be an effective and safe non-pharmaceutical aid for treating ADHD, according to a promising new study published this month in the peer-reviewed online journal Current Issues in Education (volume 10, 2008).

The pilot study followed a group of middle school students with ADHD who were meditating twice a day in school. After three months, researchers found over 50 percent reduction in stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms.

Effect exceeds expectations

"The effect was much greater than we expected," said Sarina J. Grosswald, Ed.D., a George Washington University-trained cognitive learning specialist and lead researcher on the study. "The children also showed improvements in attention, working memory, organization, and behavior regulation."

Grosswald said that after the in-school meditation routine began, "teachers reported they were able to teach more, and students were able to learn more because they were less stressed and anxious."

Stress interferes with the ability to learn

Prior research shows ADHD children have slower brain development and a reduced ability to cope with stress. "Stress interferes with the ability to learn—it shuts down the brain," said William Stixrud, Ph.D., a Silver Spring, Maryland, clinical neuropsychologist and co-author of the study.

"Medication for ADHD is very effective for some children, but it is marginally or not effective for others. Even for those children who show improved symptoms with the medication, the improvement is often insufficient or accompanied by troubling side effects," Stixrud said. "Virtually everyone finds it difficult to pay attention, organize themselves and get things done when they're under stress. So it stands to reason that the TM technique which reduces stress and organizes brain function would reduce ADHD symptoms."

While in some cases a child cannot function without medication, there is growing concern about the health risks and side effects associated with the common ADHD medications, including mood swings, insomnia, tics, slowed growth, and heart problems. In 2006 the FDA required manufacturers to place warning labels on ADHD medications, listing the potential serious health risks.

These high risks and growing concerns are fueling parents' search for alternatives that may be safer for their kids.

The study was conducted in a private K-12 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Participation was restricted to 10 students, ages 11-14, who had pre-existing diagnoses of ADHD. About half of the students were on medication. The students meditated at school in a group for 10 minutes, morning and afternoon.

To determine the influence of the TM technique, at the beginning and end of the three-month period, parents, teachers and students completed standard ADHD assessment inventories measuring stress and anxiety, behavior and social competency, and executive function. Students were also given a battery of performance tests to measure cognitive functioning.

"The results were quite remarkable"

Andy and Daryl Schoenbach's daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. Like most ADHD children she was taking medication. "The medication helped but had mixed results—she still lost focus, had meltdowns, and the medications affected her sleep and appetite," said Andy, who lives with Daryl in Washington D.C. "She was not performing close to her potential and we didn't see the situation improving. So at the end of seventh grade when her doctor recommended increasing the medication, we decided it was time to take a different course—stopping the medication and using Transcendental Meditation."

"The results were quite remarkable," Daryl said. "The twice daily meditations smoothed things out, gave her perspective, and enabled her to be in greater control of her own life when things started falling apart. It took some time, but it gradually changed the way she handled crises and enabled her to feel confident that she could take on greater challenges —in her own words, 'climb a mountain.'"

"Everyone noticed the change," Andy added.

Grosswald explained that there is substantial research showing the effectiveness of the TM technique for reducing stress and anxiety, and improving cognitive functioning among the general population. "What's significant about these new findings is that among children who have difficulty with focus and attention, we see the same results. TM doesn't require concentration, controlling the mind or disciplined focus. The fact that these children are able to do TM, and do it easily shows us that this technique may be particularly well suited for children with ADHD," she said.

This study was funded by the Abramson Family Foundation and the Institute for Community Enrichment.

A second, recently completed TM-ADHD study with a control group measured brain function using electroencephalography (EEG). Preliminary data shows that three months practice of the technique resulted in significant positive changes in brain functioning during visual-motor skills. Changes were specifically seen in the circuitry of the brain associated with attention and distractibility. After six months TM practice, measurements of distractibility moved into the normal range.

A third TM-ADHD study, to be funded by a $2 million grant from the David Lynch Foundation (DavidLynchFoundation.org), will more fully investigate the effects of the technique on ADHD and other learning disorders.

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FACT SHEET

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

    * The Center for Disease Control reports that nearly 50 percent of the 4.5 million children (ages 4-17) in the United States diagnosed with ADHD are on ADHD medication—and the majority of those on medication stay on it in adulthood.

    * The rate of prescriptions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the U.S. has increasing by a factor of five since 1991—with production of ADHD medicines up 2,000 percent in 9 years.

    * The commonly used drugs for ADHD are stimulants (amphetamines). These drugs can cause persistent and negative side effects, including sleep disturbances, reduced appetite, weight loss, suppressed growth, and mood disorders. The side effects are frequently treated with additional medications to manage insomnia or mood swings. Almost none of the medications prescribed for insomnia or mood disturbances are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with children.

    * The long-term health effects of ADHD medications are not fully known, but evidence suggests risks of cardiac disorders and sudden death, liver damage and psychiatric events. It has also been found that children on long-term medication have significantly higher rates of delinquency, substance use, and stunted physical growth.

The Transcendental Meditation Technique

    * The Transcendental Meditation technique is an effortless technique practiced 10-20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed.

    * TM is not a religion or philosophy and involves no new beliefs or change in lifestyle.

    * Over 350 peer-reviewed research studies on the TM technique confirm a range of benefits for mind, body and behavior.

    * Several studies have compared the effects of different meditation practices and found that Transcendental Meditation provides deeper relaxation and is more effective at reducing anxiety, depression and hypertension than other forms of meditation and relaxation. In addition, no other meditation practice shows the widespread coherence throughout all areas the brain that is seen with Transcendental Meditation.

    * The Transcendental Meditation technique is taught in the United States by a non-profit, educational organization.

    * More information can be obtained by calling 888-LEARN-TM or visiting www.ADHD-TM.org, www.AskTheDoctors.com, or www.TMEducation.org.

Drug Free Approach For ADHD

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Fidgety, high energy children are often labeled with ADHD and put on powerful drugs for years. Now there’s a new drug free approach to help children focus in the classroom.

"This isn’t your typical American middle school class. These kids, labeled with ADHD, are practicing transcendental meditation, or TM.

William Stixrud, Ph.D., clinical neuropsychologist: “It allows you to do, to experience very profound levels of relaxation while you’re wide awake.

Dr. Stixrud claims TM is easy for kids. They simply sit, eyes closed for 10 minutes, twice a day. He says, while the body is at rest, the mind is not. Sarina Grosswald, EdD, educator: “There's increased blood flow to the brain, and that’s important because that’s one of the things they show with ADHD is that there’s reduced blood flow in the brain.”

Educator Sarina Grosswald led a study on TM for kids with ADHD.

Sarina Grosswald, EdD: “Dramatic reductions in stress, anxiety, depression.” She says organization, memory and strategizing skills also improved.

Alejandro, 14 years old: “It felt really refreshing, like really cleansing, and I felt really relaxed.”

Chana, 11 years old: “I’m starting to think before I talk to my friends.”

Will, 11 years old: “It’s amazing how easy it is, and yet, yet it does so much for you.”

Dr. Stixrud would like to see meditation in all of America's schools.

Dr. Stixrud: “It’s crazy that we’d have kids, where the first response for a kid who’s anxious is put him on medicine and not teach him a way to regulate h is own mind and body.”

Of course, critics say, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is over diagnosed. After all, one in 20 U.S. children gets labeled with ADHD and put on powerful drugs like Ritalin to make them behave in crowded classrooms. Whereas in Europe and Canada, the diagnosis is still very rare. Nevertheless, it seems like meditation is a drug free solution that may help children focus no matter what the diagnosis.

Whether TM can reduce the meds kids need hasn’t been studied, but doctors hope to look at that next and they hope to try it on all ages of children.

Research Summary: ADHD Meditation ADHD IN OUR SCHOOLS: ADHD is a disorder that affects nearly 4.5 million kids in the United States. It’ s the most common psychosocial disorder in children. William Stixrud, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist, says: “It’s a disorder of executive function. Executive function refers to the kind of mental skills you need to carry out goal directed behavior.” Ritalin is the treatment most commonly offered to children with ADHD, but it has its drawbacks. Stixrud says: “Ritalin is an important treatment at this point in our cultural history. The challenge is that it’s an imperfect treatment. Certainly very few kids are functioning optimally on Ritalin.” Researchers and educators across the country are looking for a solution to ADHD. It m ay not replace medication just yet, but some say meditation could be a simple treatment with big results.

MEDITATION IN SCHOOLS:

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a specific form of meditation. It is a simple, natural process that helps the mind settle down to a state of “restful alertness.” Stixrud say s: “TM is a mental technique that involves simply narrowing the focus of the mind in a very effortless way that allows the mind to settle down. Once the mind settles down, the body becomes deeply relaxed. It allows you to do, to experience very profound levels of relaxation while you’re wide awake.” Educator Sarina Grosswald and Stixrud recently studied how TM helped kids with AD HD in the school setting. For the study, kids with ADHD meditated 10 minutes, twice a day. They simply sat in silence, eyes closed, thinking a bout nothing m ore than a mantra, which could consist of a single word. Sarina Grosswald says: “People say, ‘Can these kid s really meditate?’ because there’s a concept that it’s something that requires focus. TM is the exact opposite of that. It’s effortless. It’s natural, and it uses the natural tendency of the mind.”

RESULTS:

Grosswald and Stixrud’s study revealed kids who meditated had significant improvements in several areas. There were 45 percent to 50 percent reductions in stress, anxiety and depression. Kids also showed significant improvements in organizational skills, memory, strategizing, mental flexibility, attention and impulsivity. Grosswald says, “It really did exceed m y expectations in looking at the results that we saw.” Other studies of TM on kids without ADHD have shown it lowers blood pressure, and it can also actually raise IQ. A two year study of children practicing TM revealed the children made significant gains on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (more than 20 percentile points in math and 15 percentile points in reading). For kids with ADHD, the benefits might run much deeper. Stixrud says: “It’s crazy that we’d have kids, where the first response for a kid who’s anxious is put him on medicine and not teach him a way to regulate h is own mind and body. Absurd.” He and Grosswald would both like to see the use of TM spread through America’s schools. Stixrud says, “It’s absolutely doable.”

HOW TO GET TM IN YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL: Some schools across the country have already incorporated meditation into their daily routines. Stixrud urges parents to contact the national TM organization to have a speaker co me to their child’s school to talk to officials about TM.

Transcendental Meditation helps students with ADHD

June 7, 2004

SILVER SPRING, MD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD affects as many as 2 million children in this country. The treatments vary but often include medication. Now one Washington area school is studying an alternative treatment and they say it’s working.

“Let’s sit comfortably and begin our mantra” orders Sarina Grosswald, PHD, project director.

At Chelsea School in Silver Spring, 10 students with ADHD are trying Transcendental Meditation. The school is part of a 3 month study to see if meditation can help the children overcome the stresses of their disorder.

“TM is a mental technique that allows the mind to settle down when the mind settles down the body settles down” explains Ms. Grosswald. Settling down is one of the problem s of kids who suffer from ADHD, they often have difficulty focusing and paying attention. Ms. Grosswald explains further “it’s frustrating when these children become behavioral problems but it’s not something they do intentionally, it’s something they really can’t control.”

At Chelsea, students in the pilot program gather twice a day to meditate, and they say it’s helping.

“It’s helping me do my homework and helping m e with my relationship with my friends” student Taylor David said.

Scott Schwartzman, also a student says “it’s helped m e in not getting as frustrated with my work, not being disrespectful with my teachers and basically just being a normal teenager.”

The academic head of Chelsea Academy says the meditation program benefits the entire school. Dr. Linda Handy, Principal at the academy says “I see this as having tremendous impact for all our students. I’m excited about being able to take it to all of them.”

Meditation Helps ADHD

March 6, 2006

Meditation Helps ADHD

ST. LOUIS (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- About 4 million American kids struggle every day with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The disorder makes it difficult for them to focus and learn. Now, some schools are trying a new, simple approach, and it's changing lives.

It's not the typical scene at an American middle school. These kids -- all with ADHD -- are practicing transcendental meditation, or TM.

"It allows you to experience very profound levels of relaxation while you're wide awake," says William Stixrud, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist at George Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

He says TM is easy to do. Kids simply sit, eyes closed, for 10 minutes, twice a day. The body is profoundly at rest. The mind is not.

"There's increased blood flow to the brain, and that's important because that's one of the things they show with ADHD is that there's reduced blood flow in the brain," says educator Sarina Grosswald, Ed.D. She led a study on TM for kids with ADHD, where there were dramatic reductions in stress, anxiety and depression. Organization, memory and strategizing skills also significantly improved.

"It felt really refreshing, like really cleansing, and I felt really relaxed," says 14 years old Alejandro. Eleven-year-old Chana says TM makes her less impulsive. "I'm starting to think before I talk to my friends," she says. And 13-year-old Will says, "It's amazing how easy it is, and yet, yet it does so much for you."

Dr. Stixrud would like to see meditation in all of America's schools. He says, "It's crazy that we'd have kids, where the first response for a kid who's anxious is put him on medicine and not teach him a way to regulate his own mind and body."

Whether TM can reduce the meds kids need hasn't been studied, but Dr. Stixrud says that will be looked at next. For kids without ADHD, research shows meditation can lower blood pressure and even raise IQ!

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.