A recent Brown University study highlights the heart-healthy benefits of mindfulness in dietary choices (Loucks et al., 2023). Their unique mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program improved self-awareness and diet adherence, promoting better heart health. Conducted by a team from Brown University in the United States, the study introduced a mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction program.
We've all experienced moments of anxiety, but the struggle is different for those grappling with anxiety disorders. It involves intense and excessive fear and worry, often accompanied by physical tension and cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Anxiety disorders can disrupt daily life, affecting relationships, social activities, and professional or academic responsibilities.
One of the most important elements in therapy is active participation. When you seek therapy, the therapist can guide you in understanding and addressing your issues, but they cannot fix everything. You have to put in the work yourself. The quality of the client's involvement in psychotherapy is a significant determinant for the outcome, as Orlinsky, Rønnestad, and Willutski emphasised in 2004. In other words, the more committed and actively engaged the client is, the more likely they are to experience positive changes in their life.
A recent study conducted by the University of Cambridge has confirmed that participating in in-person mindfulness courses can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults. The study, which analysed data from 13 studies involving 2,371 participants, found that adults who voluntarily joined mindfulness programmes experienced lower levels of psychological distress compared to those who did not participate.
New research shows that MBSR, including breath awareness and body scanning, is as effective at treating anxiety as a commonly-used antidepressant. The research adds to a growing body of data that shows that practicing mindfulness can be a powerful and effective treatment for anxiety.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MCBT) may be as good as pills at preventing people who are recovering from major bouts of depression from relapsing, according to a new study led by Oxford University. Read more here.
Sudden and unexpected events can elicit intense emotions, uncertainty and catastrophic thinking. During a pandemic, it is reasonable to feel worried, anxious, confused and to experience low mood. Now is the time to take responsibility and to learn to manage your mental health.
