For non-drug relief for a wide range of illnesses, mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) is a good option for many patients. MBSR uses mindfulness, meditation, yoga, relaxation breathing and body awareness to manage health conditions and stress. The program was developed at the University of Massachusetts Medical School specifically for patients and contains no religious teachings. MBSR is taught in eight-week sessions. Participants meet in a group once a week and also practice the techniques they learn between sessions. It has been studied and used for a wide range of medical conditions, including:

• Chronic pain
• Heart disease
• Migraine
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Depression
• Anxiety
• HIV medication side effects
• Cancer
• Fibromyalgia
• Substance abuse
• Psoriasis
• Weight loss

In a recently published study on MBSR for migraine, researchers found the technique reduced migraine frequency, severity and duration.

To find an MBSR course near you, Google MBSR and the name of your city or town. UMass also offers an online MBSR course. If courses are out of your price range, you can approximate the course for about $30 by reading “Full Catastrophe Living” and listening to Jon Kabat-Zinn’s “Guided Mindfulness Meditation Series 1” CD set. You may also find "A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook," by Bob Stahl and Elisha Goldstein, helpful. Check your local library for the books and CDs.