Depression is often roused from one moment to the next, by streams of negative thoughts going through the mind (such as,” “What’s wrong with me?” “I don’t think I can go on” “My life is a mess”).
Sixty percent of people who experience a single episode of depression are likely to experience a second. Ninety percent of people who go through three episodes of depression are likely to have a fourth. However there is growing evidence that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can help prevent a relapse.
By learning to be mindful (living in the present) we are able to be less “in our heads,” going over and over things that happened in the past, or worrying and being anxious about what will happen in the future.
Learning to redirect our attention away from the negative thought processes and becoming more aware of what we are doing whilst we are doing it, can help starve the negative thought stream and help improve our mood.
Mindfulness teaches us to pay attention to our experience, and become an observer of ourselves. As Eckhart Tolle says ‘’ “The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive. To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly—you usually don’t use it at all. It uses you. All the things that truly matter — beaut…y, love, creativity, joy, inner peace — arise from beyond the mind…”
The practice of mindfulness can help re-programme us to have a different perspective on our experience and see things for what they are. Negative depressive thoughts will just become patterns in the mind passing through, rather than continually feeding the thoughts of what kind of person we are or how our future will be.
How does Mindfulness (MBCT) work you might ask? Researcher in the UK ( published in the journal mindfulness) based on 11 adults who had experienced three or more episodes of severe depression, and had undergone MBCT within the previous three years were interviewed.
Three themes emerged from the study:
(Information below taken from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/three_ways_mindfulness_reduces_depression for full article)
1. Being present to the self: Learning to pause, identify, and respond
Mindfulness practices of MBCT allowed people to be more intentionally aware of the present moment, which gave them space to pause before reacting automatically to others. Instead of becoming distressed about rejection or criticism, they stepped back to understand their own automatic reactions—and to become more attuned to others’ needs and emotions. Awareness gave them more choice in how to respond, instead of becoming swept up in escalating negative emotion.
2. Facing fears: It’s ok to say “no”
Participants also reported that they became more assertive in saying ‘no’ to others in order to lessen their load of responsibility, allowing them to become more balanced in acknowledging their own as well as others’ needs. The authors speculate that bringing mindful awareness to uncomfortable experiences helped people to approach situations that they would previously avoid, which fostered self-confidence and assertiveness.
3. Being present with others
Being present to others enabled people to bring more attention to relationships and to appreciate their time with others. They talked about how being present to others helped them let go of distressing histories, allowing them to relate to others in new ways. Disagreements also became more constructive, as participants were able to identify their communication problems, and were better able to take on another’s perspective and focus on potential solutions.
Study participants also described having more energy, feeling less overwhelmed by negative emotion, and being in a better position to cope with and support others. Getting through difficulties with significant others through mindful communication helped them feel closer, and having the energy and emotional stamina to spend more time with family members helped them grow together.
However, for some the practice of mindfulness may have some obstacles, not that mindfulness is difficult. It just remembering to do it. Our minds can be so habitually use to its current way of thinking that we may resist the practice of mindfulness. That is why initially it is good to set time aside to practice even if it is only for 3 minutes a day to help get into the habit.
There are number of books and resources that you can tap into, my favourite being Eckhart Tolle, Power of Now. John Teasdale, Mark Williams, and Zindel Segan The Mindful Way Through Depression to explain how bringing awareness to all your activities can battle the blues. Followed up with a workbook, The Mindful Way Workbook, that includes targeted exercise, self-assessments, and guided meditations.
What if you are really depressed right now?
MBCT has been designed for those who have suffered from depression, although there is evidence that mindfulness can help those in the midst of depression. If you’re not feeling in a good place right now and depression is making concentration difficult for you, be gentle with yourself and don’t push yourself into learning something new. Wait a while or take it very slowly remembering that any difficulties you may be experiencing is the effect of depression, and will sooner or later ease.
If you need someone to talk to or want to know more about managing depression or mindfulness. I offer a free 1 hour’s session. Contact me on http://www.effectiveliving.co.uk/contact-me/
References: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/01/19/how-does-mindfulness-reduce-depression-an-interview-with-john-teasdale-ph-d
