10.2: Mindfulness
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The Power of Observation
The mind includes all our experiences—sensations, feelings, thoughts, intellect, and emotions—arising from specific conditions. Understanding the mind is essentially understanding our experiences.
Meditation comprises a family of self-regulation practices aimed at training attention and awareness to enhance voluntary control over mental processes. It promotes overall mental well-being and fosters specific abilities like calmness, clarity, and concentration. There are numerous types of meditation techniques available.Mindfulness meditation being one that we will go over.
Mindfulness involves paying close attention. It is a deliberate observation of both internal thoughts and external surroundings in the present moment. It promotes a flexible mindset, encouraging openness to new perspectives and the active process of making distinctions. Practicing mindfulness helps us stay attuned to our current context and perspective, originating from Eastern meditation practices and now widely adapted for secular use in Western mental health settings.
Mindfulness encompasses cognitive ability, reflecting how people differ in their capacity to think in a mindful way. It also includes disposition, comparable to stable personality traits like extraversion or neuroticism. Additionally, mindfulness is considered a cognitive style, indicating one's preferred approach to thinking and processing information.
The facets of mindfulness involve overcoming the desire to reduce uncertainty in daily life, overriding the tendency to engage in automatic behavior, and reducing the frequency of evaluating oneself, others, and situations.
Mindfulness is beneficial because it teaches us to see thoughts as passing events, reducing rumination and negative thought patterns. It helps us become less reactive to unpleasant experiences by gradually exposing us to them. Mindfulness encourages acceptance of the present moment without getting caught up in craving or aversion. Additionally, it has positive effects on both mental and physical health, reducing stress and allowing us to allocate more resources to our overall wellness.
Can Mindfulness Help with Negative Emotion?
Can mindfulness help with negative emotions? As society has evolved, our minds haven't necessarily kept pace with these changes. When we experience negative emotions, our bodies often react with a fight-or-flight response. Mindfulness interventions have shown promise in reducing this stress response. They operate through mechanisms like social support and prevention of reactive responses.
Mindfulness and emotion regulation strategies encompass cognitive reappraisal, where individuals alter their perspective on emotional stimuli. Expressive suppression involves allowing emotions to arise internally while concealing them outwardly. Meta-cognitive awareness fosters a de-centered view of oneself in relation to thoughts and feelings, enabling a neutral observation of personal experiences. Mindfulness enhances emotion regulation by boosting cognitive reappraisal, decreasing the use of suppression, and promoting metacognitive abilities.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Meditation is a method for cultivating mindfulness. One prominent approach is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), particularly aimed at populations experiencing stress, such as those with anxiety disorders, chronic illnesses, or chronic pain. Developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn¹⁵, MBSR is an 8-week program designed to promote hardiness by reframing challenges as manageable situations where individuals can take control. It also encourages coherence by helping participants find meaning and manageability in their experiences.
MBSR is widely recognized as the leading clinical practice of mindfulness and has been extensively researched. Studies indicate that its benefits can endure long after the program ends. Research, such as that by Chiesa and Serretti (2009)¹⁶, suggests MBSR's effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety, making it a valuable tool in stress management and emotional well-being.
Why do they Teach Mindfulness Meditation?
Mindfulness teaches individuals to cultivate a heightened state of awareness and concentration on the present moment, accepting it fully without getting caught up in stress or distractions. The goal is to enable people to engage with stressful situations mindfully, rather than reacting automatically. This approach emphasizes non-judgment and non-analysis, fostering awareness of one's breath, mind, and bodily sensations.
Mindfulness promotes the ability to sustain and focus attention, reducing susceptibility to distractions. It fosters equanimity, cultivating calmness in the presence of stress and pain, and decreasing reactive responses. Additionally, mindfulness enhances character and temperament, encouraging more positive interactions with others and the environment. Physiologically, mindfulness has been shown in EEG studies to increase patterns of relaxed brain activity and reduce responsiveness to stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.
Can we Train the Brain with Meditation?
In a longitudinal study by Zanesco et al. (2016)¹⁷, participants were assessed before and after both 3-month and 1-month meditation retreats. Results showed meditators developed improved focused attention, reduced mind wandering, and enhanced mindfulness during tasks.
Rosenberg et al. (2015)¹⁸ studied 60 participants undergoing three months of intensive meditation training or on a waitlist. The meditation group showed increased empathy and reduced feelings of rejection in emotional responses towards others.
Lazar (2005)¹⁹ found that meditation might alter brain structure, with participants showing thicker brain regions associated with emotion, attention, and sensory processing compared to controls.
Mindfulness for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Core features of PTSD include avoidance, hyperarousal, emotional numbing, and negative emotions like shame, guilt, and dissociation.
Mindfulness components that could help include attention training, a mindful cognitive style, and non-judgmental awareness. Mindfully shifting attention to the present moment may improve attentional control and reduce bias towards trauma-related stimuli.
A mindful cognitive style may reduce rumination, lessening symptoms such as anxious arousal and anhedonia. Nonjudgmental acceptance of thoughts and emotions, taught through mindfulness, may also encourage facing fear-provoking stimuli, thereby reducing avoidance behaviors.
Interventions Related to Mindfulness Training
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is used to prevent the recurrence of major depressive disorder, rooted in the information-processing theory of relapse. It emphasizes the practice of observing thoughts without attachment, teaching that "thoughts are not facts" and fostering the understanding that "I am not my thoughts."
In addressing stress, MBCT works by intervening early to prevent negative thoughts from escalating into persistent patterns of rumination. It incorporates techniques such as Loving Kindness Meditation, which involves intentional exercises to cultivate kindness and compassion through verbal and visual practices. Additionally, relaxation exercises are utilized to promote calmness and reduce stress levels.
Mindfulness isn't a universal solution. While it may not always be effective and could even have drawbacks, it highlights the potential for meaningful change through simple adjustments in how we handle emotions and stress. This suggests that our responses are not fixed and can lead to significant improvements.
Attribution
¹⁵Jon Kabat-Zinn. (2022, November 9). https://jonkabat-zinn.com/
¹⁶Chiesa, A., & Serretti, A. (2009). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for stress management in healthy people: a review and meta-analysis. The journal of alternative and complementary medicine, 15(5), 593-600. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0495
¹⁷Zanesco, A. P., King, B. G., MacLean, K. A., Jacobs, T. L., Aichele, S. R., Wallace, B. A., Smallwood, J., Schooler, J. W., & Saron, C. D. (2016). Meditation training influences mind wandering and mindless reading. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 3(1), 12–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000082
¹⁸Rosenberg, E. L., Zanesco, A. P., King, B. G., Aichele, S. R., Jacobs, T. L., Bridwell, D. A., MacLean, K. A., Shaver, P. R., Ferrer, E., Sahdra, B. K., Lavy, S., Wallace, B. A., & Saron, C. D. (2015). Intensive meditation training influences emotional responses to suffering. Emotion, 15(6), 775–790. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000080
¹⁹Lazar, S. W., Kerr, C. E., Wasserman, R. H., Gray, J. R., Greve, D. N., Treadway, M. T., McGarvey, M., Quinn, B. T., Dusek, J. A., Benson, H., Rauch, S. L., Moore, C. I., & Fischl, B. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport/Neuroreport, 16(17), 1893–1897. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19