‘Mindfulness’ lifts depression for many, but not all

	Tweet

Mindfulness, a central concept in yoga and various forms of meditation, has proven to be effective against depression, but difficult to grasp for a significant number of people who try it, according to a University of Calgary researcher.

In a recent study of people at risk for relapse in clinical depression, PhD candidate Alisa Singer found that 40 per cent of them could not apply the concept of mindfulness to their own thinking. Mindfulness is the practice of simply being aware of thoughts and emotions, rather than getting caught up in them or analyzing their meaning.

“Mindfulness helps people step back and recognize that the negative thoughts they are having on a given issue are simply thoughts and may or may not be true,” Singer says. “By acknowledging and accepting such uncomfortable feelings, our research has found that negative moods will dissipate more quickly.”

Singer says that the people in her study who weren’t able to master the concept of being accepting of their own thoughts shared similar traits: they tended to be more anxious; were more worried about their ability to maintain relationships; were less likely to say that their experience with depression made them stronger; and were more likely to think that ruminating about an issue was a better strategy for dealing with it.

People who ruminate analyze their problems over and over without reaching any satisfactory conclusion. Ruminators tend to be more likely to suffer a depressive relapse than people who distract themselves with other activities, or those who practice mindfulness.

“In the last five years, mindfulness has become an important therapeutic tool,” Singer says. “Research shows that people who are taught to be mindful are less likely to suffer a depressive relapse, so it’s important to understand how to make it accessible to everyone.” It may be that some people simply require more training and practice before they can benefit, she adds.

Clinical depression goes well beyond occasionally feeling down in the dumps. Some of its symptoms include feeling sad most of the day nearly every day for at least two weeks; losing interest in life and activities that once provided joy; feeling worthless; experiencing disturbances in sleep and appetite; and having thoughts of suicide. Those who have experienced one depressive episode are 50 per cent more likely to have another, and the risk for relapse increases with each additional episode.

In her study, Singer tested 65 people who had been previously diagnosed with clinical depression. They were trained in mindfulness, and then asked to talk about their thought processes while experiencing a sad memory.

http://www.ucalgary.ca

RELATED STORIES:
Older Adults Have Lower Rates of Mood, Anxiety Disorders   Overweight Kids Experience More Loneliness, Anxiety, MU Study Finds   Antidepressant users have higher heart attack risk   Major depression: Screening and treatment   Depressed patients seek more from therapy   Herbal remedy as good as drug for depression: study   Nail and Hair Samples Show Alcohol Consumption Over Last 90 Days   Partner violence impacts mental health of over half-million Californians   Why are men more susceptible to alcoholism?   Depression worsens health of adult asthmatics   Depression and Stress at Tax Time and Beyond   Study reveals depressed elderly risk early death   Phone-based therapy seen helpful for depression   Relationship Between Delirium and Dementia   REM Sleep Behavior Disorder at Young Age Linked to Antidepressant Use

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]