Dr. Doraiswamy says he recommends meditation for people with depression, panic or anxietydisorders, ongoing stress, or for general health maintenance of brain alertness and cardiovascular health.
What really runs in families is a tendency toward mood disorders in general, as well as a number of other conditions, such as anxiety and risk of substance abuse.
Anxietydisorders and depression are the most common mental illnesses: 28.8% of the general population will have an anxiety disorder in their lifetime and 20.8% will have a mood disorder, according to a 2005 study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.