Mindfulness and Stress Reduction

Living in the moment along the path.

Abstract

Since the early 60’s and 70’s there has been a growing interest in alternative and integrative medicine and in particular mindfulness as a practice. The merging of Eastern and Western thought has brought about new approaches and theories on psychological health. (Keng et al., 2011) Leaders in the field like Jon Kabat-Zinn (1990) and Thich Nhat Hanh (1991) established a connection between Western and Eastern though. Both have worked in this area and have established many years of data. Others have since come along with additional research and focus. (Carlson & Garland, 2005; Hayes et al., 2005) This paper will briefly describe the theoretical basis from empirical literature and studies on the effects and benefits of mindfulness as a stress reduction technique, pain management, and improvements in mood and behavior for improving psychological health.

Mindfulness, as a concept has been around for thousands of years in Buddhist tradition as part of the path to enlightenment through the understanding of the existence of suffering, the cause of suffering and its cessation. Western thought on mindfulness is integrated with medicine and psychological health. (Keng, et al., 2011) The focus on laboratory and experimental research has been on the impact and effects of mindfulness on emotional and psychological functioning, and behavior. Both schools of thought, and the research supported, has demonstrated increased sense of well-being, improved balance of emotions and psychological mood.

Current research (Carlson, 2005) and (Keng, 2011) points to two of the seven main principles defined by Kabat-Zinn (1994) as the most effective; self-awareness and being non-judgmental about what comes up in your life.  Indications are that they are “potentially effective antidotes against common forms of psychological distress—rumination, anxiety, worry, fear, and anger” (Kayes, 2004). These destructive emotions lead a person to avoid, suppress, or intensely focus on distressing situations, illusions, thoughts, and emotions. 

The empirical data provided across multiple studies and methodologies (Keng, 2011), has concluded that mindfulness improves adaptive psychological functioning. Mindfulness can take the form of guided meditations, silent meditation, body scans, mindful walking, eating, speech, breathing exercises and loving-kindness.  Each of these help an individual to adopt a more accepting attitude about their personal experiences and how they integrate them and interpret them in their lives.  It helps elevate mood, manage chronic pain, create greater states of calmness, and a more responsive approach to external stimuli rather than reactive and impulsive behaviors that only aggravates the stress cycle.

It does not take extensive training or guidance to begin a mindfulness practice.  Many programs are for about 6-8 weeks.  Oftentimes, during mindfulness meditation, the practitioner may become so relaxed as to fall asleep.  My instructor, Natasia Korsack (Korsack, in conversation) at the Tucson MBSR Program, often said, “I’ve spent half of my life in mindfulness meditation and half of that has been asleep.”  She suggests that sleep is what the body is requiring at the time.  Staying in the present moment and allowing yourself to enjoy that moment of rest is exactly what is needed. 

Keng (2011) says that, “despite existing methodological limitations within each body of literature, there is a clear convergence of findings from correlational studies, clinical intervention studies, and laboratory-based, experimental studies of mindfulness—all of which suggest that mindfulness is positively associated with psychological health, and that training in mindfulness may bring about positive psychological effects.”   Some of the results might be subjective well-being while others include reduced psychological symptoms, emotional reactivity, improvement in how a person regulates their behavior.

Further research is needed to generate more data and have an improved understanding of “the nature of mindfulness, how mindfulness can best be measured, fostered, and cultivated, and the mechanisms and specificity of effects of mindfulness-oriented interventions.”  But, based on the advantages seen so far, it is likely that we will continue to discover new paradigms in the application of mindfulness.  In both the Eastern and Western traditions, the goal is to understand and alleviate human suffering, physical or psychological and help others live a more fulfilling and joyful life.

References

Kabat-Zinn J., (1990) Full Catastrophe Living: How to Cope with Stress, Pain and Illness Using 
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Kabat-Zinn J. (1994) Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.
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Carlson, L. E., & Garland, S. N. (2005). Impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on
     sleep, mood, stress and fatigue symptoms in cancer outpatients. International journal of
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Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A
     review of empirical studies. Clinical psychology review, 31(6), 1041-1056.

Hayes, A. M., Beevers, C. G., Feldman, G. C., Laurenceau, J. P., & Perlman, C. (2005). Avoidance and
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Hanh, T. N. (1991). Peace is every step. New York: Bantam Books.

Korshak, N. (2014). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. . Retrieved July 11, 2014,
     from http://mbsrprogram.org/