Transcendental Meditation increases adolescents' self-esteem, decreases addiction
by Global Good News staff writer

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4 December 2012

Dr William Stixrud, a clinical neuropsychologist, spoke to an audience of health professionals about using Transcendental Meditation (TM) to help combat addiction and addictive tendencies.

He said that Transcendental Meditation increases self-esteem and, in his experience with vulnerable teenagers, helps decrease addictive tendencies.

Dr Stixrud is adjunct faculty at the Children's National Medical Center and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences, and Pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine in the USA. He has been in practice for over 25 years and has counselled countless adolescents in that time.

At the conference, Dr Stixrud spoke about the link between Transcendental Meditation and self-esteem.

'We know that studies on TM show that it increases self-esteem, and even though the self-esteem movement these days has gotten a bad reputation, we know that it's the best predictor of the health of your hippocampus, your major memory centre, and [predicts] your vulnerability to dementia. It's a wonderful predictor of how healthy your memory system stays. So self-esteem is a good thing.'

Dr Stixrud said, 'TM has been shown to increase that internal locus of control.'

This is important, he added, because a loss of control is arguably the main cause of stress.

'It's ironic because when you practise Transcendental Meditation . . . there's no attempt to control anything, it's completely effortless. But the regular experience of it gives you a greater sense of control because you just get more confident that you can manage your life.'

Dr Stixrud related some stories about patients of his who learned Transcendental Meditation. He described adolescents with 'terrible headache problems' who learn the technique and begin to practise regularly, 'and then don't have any problems; kids in [rough] schools who are constantly fighting and getting into trouble, who meditate regularly and actually start studying and getting along with people. I see a lot of kids who can't sleep, improve their sleep' after they learn Transcendental Meditation.

See related articles:
∙ Using Transcendental Meditation to combat ADHD and addiction in young people: Dr William Stixrud
∙ Preventing addiction in vulnerable adolescents: Conference explores role of Transcendental Meditation
∙ What causes addictive behaviours? Neuropsychologist gives insights on stress, and an antidote

Copyright © 2013 Global Good News Service Transcendental Meditation



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