MINDFUL MEDITATION FOR STRESS & ANXIETY
ESSENTIAL FACTS:
- Stress, a critical issue in our modern world, is a key factor in depression and anxiety.
- Meditation focuses on being fully aware of the present moment non-judgmentally.
- Mindfulness, originally rooted in Buddhism, is gaining popularity in healthcare, education, and workplaces. Research on mindful meditation has dramatically increased in the last decade.
- It is evident that in people experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder, meditation reduces symptom severity and improves quality of life and relationships.
- Meditation benefits are evident in chronic pain, depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, addiction, hypertension, and weight management.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRESS AND ANXIETY:
Stress is a psycho-physiological response to perceived demands. It is a significant issue in today's world. While stress can be a natural survival mechanism, excessive or chronic stress can lead to serious health problems. Trauma and stress from any source may stretch an individual’s physical and mental adaptive resources beyond their ability for timely recovery, causing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Anxiety is an exaggerated fear response to specific situations, which may or may not be easily identifiable by others. Over the past 20 years, anxiety disorders including panic disorders have increased by 15% in the general population. This disorder often begins in childhood, before individuals fully develop their cognitive abilities. As individuals progress through their education, their ability to anticipate mentally improves, leading to emotional maturity.
WHAT IS A MINDFUL MEDITATION:
Mindfulness is a moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. It is about being open, nonjudgmental, friendly, curious, accepting, compassionate, and kind.
These practices aim to cultivate a mindfulness state comprising:
- Formal (e.g., breathing, sitting, walking, body scan)
- Informal (e.g., being mindful in everyday activities)
Global research indicates that mindful meditation is effective for various mental, physical, and social health issues, though its impact varies across different populations.
HOW IS MEDITATION PERFORMED:
Mindfulness meditation does not describe a single technique but a family of practices focusing on reducing distraction and enhancing awareness of thoughts.
1. Meditation sessions generally begin with a focal object of attention, usually the sensations of breathing.
2. Adopting a nonaversive stance towards the experience and maintaining a curious, friendly, and nonjudgmental attention style are essential.
3. It's important to remember that distractions are a natural part of the meditation process.
4. When your attention is caught by a distraction, which will inevitably happen, it's important to accept that an intrusive thought has occurred and gently guide it back to the object.
5. When the distraction consists of a chain of thoughts, one should recognize that the thoughts are merely thoughts that don't require scrutiny.
6. Remember, the goal of mindfulness meditation is not to suppress thoughts but to observe them as events within the mind. This shift in perspective can empower you, helping you realize that you have the control and ability to observe your thoughts without being overwhelmed by them.
BENEFITS OF MEDITATION:
Self-regulation, the ability to manage one’s attention, emotions, and behavior, is a critical factor in determining academic and health outcomes. It is also an important component of emotional intelligence and resilience.
Impairment in self-regulation is linked to bad results in academics and poorer physical and mental health. The effects of mindfulness on self-regulation have been investigated, and a positive link is established. Mindfulness not only enhances self-regulation and increases motivation and learning, but it also plays a significant role in reducing addiction, suicidal ideation and overwhelming emotions such as anger.
HOW CAN MEDITATION HELP IN STRESS & ANXIETY?
Meditation is a method of mental training that calms the mind and encourages a state of detached observation, enabling one to witness one's thoughts and emotions without judgment or attachment. It is often practiced as a self-guided activity, similar to physical exercise, and provides cumulative benefits and preventive effects.
One of the main ways meditation helps reduce anxiety is by decreasing repetitive negative thinking. Moreover, research supports several other ways meditation improves mental functioning, including increased emotional awareness, altered emotional responses, exposure to feelings, and cognitive reappraisal. A systematic study of 58592 adults showed that mindfulness was positively associated with confidence, job satisfaction, performance, and interpersonal relations and negatively associated with burnout and work withdrawal.
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly integrated into mental health interventions by various mental health professionals, as the concepts have significantly influenced psychological progression.
RESOURCES:
1. Saeed SA, Cunningham K, Bloch RM. Depression and Anxiety Disorders: Benefits of Exercise, Yoga, and Meditation. Am Fam Physician. 2019 May 15;99(10):620-627. PMID: 31083878.
2. González-Valero G, Zurita-Ortega F, Ubago-Jiménez JL, Puertas-Molero P. Use of Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for the Treatment of Stress, Depression and Anxiety in Students. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Nov 10;16(22):4394. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16224394. PMID: 31717682; PMCID: PMC6888319.
3. Wielgosz J, Goldberg SB, Kral TRA, Dunne JD, Davidson RJ. Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2019 May 7;15:285-316. doi: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-021815-093423. Epub 2018 Dec 10. PMID: 30525995; PMCID: PMC6597263.
4. Zhang D, Lee EKP, Mak ECW, Ho CY, Wong SYS. Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review. Br Med Bull. 2021 Jun 10;138(1):41-57. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldab005. PMID: 33884400; PMCID: PMC8083197.
5. Pascoe MC, Thompson DR, Jenkins ZM, Ski CF. Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res. 2017 Dec;95:156-178. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.08.004. Epub 2017 Aug 23. PMID: 28863392.
Written by:
Dr.Saba Munir, MBBS
On December 25, 2024
