Is Mindfulness An Effective Treatment For Depression?

Depression is not only a common mental illness but is also long-term in nature. Above 80% of people with depression experience a relapse. Even if you are dependent on medication, they are likely to become less effective over time.

There has been ongoing research to prevent depression relapse via natural remedies. Mindfulness has proven to be effective in treating depression without any harmful side effects. Mindfulness cognitive therapies have been found effective in treating people who have a history of abuse and are at high risk of depression relapsing compared to other people.

People with depression are full of negative thoughts, which results in depression relapse. Mindfulness cognitive therapies help a person to engage themselves in different ways and positively respond to those thoughts.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a process that brings the mind in a non-judgmental state with the help of sensations, thoughts, consciousness, body state, and the surrounding environment. It is a skill and a practice to improve everyday life. Mindfulness relates to one’s ability to overcome signs of depression and adopt a healthy, mindful state despite the ups and downs of life.

There are various kinds of mindfulness therapies. In this article, we will focus on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. MBCT  is the most researched cognitive therapy which helps prevent relapse of depression. As the name suggests, this therapy is a combination of mindfulness and cognitive therapy to overcome depression. Let’s take a look at its benefits.

1. It helps overcome harmful thoughts.

Cognitive therapies are a standard aureate treatment for depression. It lets you understand and notice when negative thoughts surround them. Mindfulness allows people to observe the loops of negative thoughts and how they didn’t try to overcome them by fixing them but letting them overcome your mind.

2. It helps you calm your mind.

One of the simplest ways to define mindfulness is to pay attention to one’s present life. It consists of noticing every thought and emotion from time to time without judging or being trapped in those emotions. At the beginning state of the treatment, the mind of the patient keeps wandering. Here, the meditator or teacher takes the patient’s mind to a note where it goes and returns calmly and also focuses on breathing, body sensations, and simple yoga postures.

3. It prevents depression relapse.

Pieces of evidence have suggested that MBCT has helped patients who suffer episodes of depression. According to a clinical psychological review, it has helped reduce the risk of relapsing to 34% from 43%. A study in the journal of consulting and clinical psychology 2014 also proves the benefits of MBCT to patients who have experienced child abuse.

4. It helps manage treatment-resistant depression.

The best thing for the patients of the MBCT therapy is that it does not have any side effects and hence is a gold therapy for treating depression. For patients who have treatment-resistant depression, MBCT works as an antidepressant. It prevents people who do not find antidepressants effective from relapsing into depression.

5. It improves attention span.

People with depression are prone to distractions and cannot concentrate easily. With the help of MBCT, a patient can focus better and improve their concentration.

7. It helps reduce depression during pregnancy.

MBCT is efficient for women at high risk of depression during pregnancy. Since pregnant women cannot take antidepressants, they can find refuge in mindfulness. According to the Archives of women’s health, more than 18% of women had depression symptoms six months after delivery. The women in the study showed recovery when they practiced mindfulness in everyday life.

8. It is effective for children and adolescents.

MBCT has also been effective in treating children and adolescents between 13-20 years old. Kids of this age understand the activities of the therapy and then practice them in a group. These programs have high success rates because kids are naturally mindful.

9. It keeps anxiety in check.

The combination of mindfulness and cognitive therapy makes MBCT more effective. Mindfulness helps you observe your emotions, and cognitive therapy helps you work on those emotions. Mindful meditation makes people feel calm and positive, and this helps reduce anxiety.

Conclusion

Mindfulness is an essential tool for treating depression. It helps reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. Therefore, it improves the quality of daily life. Try it for yourself and see the difference.

Monika Heft is a passionate blogger who provides information and knowledge about various types of addiction recovery. For more information, visit https://evolvetreatment.com/.