Treatments for Anxiety: Meditation and Escitalopram

Summary

We propose the first randomized, controlled study to assess the comparative effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with a medication for anxiety disorders. We will use escitalopram, gold-standard SSRI treatment for patients with anxiety disorders, and will examine the comparative effectiveness of the two treatments on anxiety symptoms and other outcomes important to patients.

Timeline

Start

2018-06-18

Primary completion

2021-10-31

Completion

2022-01-05

Publications

• Hoge EA, Mete M, Baker AW, Szuhany KL, Armstrong CH, Steinberg MH, Dutton MA, Bui E, Simon NM. A randomized controlled trial comparing mindfulness to escitalopram for anxiety: In-person and remote, synchronous delivery pre and post COVID-19 pandemic. J Affect Disord. 2025 Sep 1;384:163-172. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.04.145. Epub 2025 May 3.
• Hu H, Mete M, Rustgi NK, Washington CI, Sanghavi K, Dutton MA, Simon NM, Baker AW, Bui E, Hoge EA. Mindfulness Meditation vs Escitalopram for Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Oct 1;7(10):e2438453. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.38453.
• Oft AC, Philip S, Holz E, Sathi S, Geng X, Hoge E. Effect of meditation or escitalopram on work performance in patients with anxiety disorders. J Affect Disord. 2024 Nov 1;364:104-107. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.019. Epub 2024 Aug 10.
• Hoge EA, Bui E, Mete M, Dutton MA, Baker AW, Simon NM. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Escitalopram for the Treatment of Adults With Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2023 Jan 1;80(1):13-21. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.3679.

Drugs

Indications