Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

[ruedec]

Has anyone on here tried much mindfulness meditations and if so what successes or pitfalls have you encountered? I have been trying this for months now and have some success, but it's not sufficient to eliminate the need for extreme exercise or medication. Please excuse me if this is not the correct forum area for this question. It seemed naturopathic to me.

 

[Ann Law]

Has anyone on here tried much mindfulness meditations and if so what successes or pitfalls have you encountered? I have been trying this for months now and have some success, but it's not sufficient to eliminate the need for extreme exercise or medication. Please excuse me if this is not the correct forum area for this question. It seemed naturopathic to me.

Hiya: New here too. My psych keeps on about mindfulness but for me only seems to make it worse. Just proves, I gues, that there's no "one size fits all" remedy for this affliction. Glad mindfulness is working for you. I'd stick a green banana in my ear if I thought it would help! (LOL)

 

[ruedec]

Hi Ann, yeah, I'd probably fall for the green banana too...anything to make it better just about. It has helped me get a better handle on being aware of when my anxiety levels are rising and can help me shift out of anxiety attacks/flashbacks sometimes but not always, depends on the severity. Thanks for the response!

 

[deer_in_headlights]

(((((((Ruedec)))))))

One of my trauma Therapists specializes in this. He incorporates mindfulness in practically everything we do, and because of it I'm able to manage flashbacks without fear, get present more quickly whenever I dissociate, do better in public settings... it helps me tremendously (even when I'm not mindful that that's what I'm doing :D )

I like the books by Jon Kabat-Zinn that I've read. (Just noticed he has some youtube videos.)

My T has also just recently added an additional form of mindfulness (Somatic Experiencing. Peter A. Levine, Ph.D.) to our work that is really enhancing the healing process.

Wonderful question, about a therapy that becomes as natural as breathing the longer we practice it.
Warmly,
Deer

 

[intothelight]

This is something that I am not at all familiar with and any tool in the tool box (or fruit :p) is worth investigating.

Deer, thank you for the book references.

 

[BloomInWinter]

Has anyone on here tried much mindfulness meditations and if so what successes or pitfalls have you encountered?

I hated the concept, but after Finding ways to fit it into my life, it truly is helping me.

My version is different than what I was taught in DBT. My mindfulness is sometimes a gifted, caring teacher in the preschool classroom of my emotions. There's a few in the bunch that most teachers would give up on and put in the naughty chair, but not my mindfulness teacher...she holds my problem-child emotions by the had, stays with them and guides them to safety where they aren't 'disturbing the class' , and once calmed, says 'it's ok...you felt (painful emotion) but I'm here. I care. I'm listening. Why don't we work on how we got here?'

This has helped me turn towards my traumas with curiosity rather than avoidance and judgement.

Another concept that helps me is the idea of mindfulness being as vast and deep as the ocean. An ocean can hold an endless suuply of painful memories without losing it's rhythm. When I can turn these thoughts over to the mindfulness container, I sense a deep assurance that I won't be overwhelmed.

So far, these are working well on everyday stressors, but I can't yet carry over into my traumas, but I have hope.

 

[ruedec]

Thanks deer...I'll take the hugs where ever and whenever they come....I like Jon Kabat-Zinn a lot. I use his guided meditations just about every day.

 

[Xibalba]

Go to the source, read the Dhammapada, which you can find online for free from a number of websites. I also recommend books by Thich Nhat Hahn on the subject of mindfulness, and there are a few YouTube videos of him speaking on it. This new therapy technique is just an extension of Buddhist meditation, but without the pitfalls (IMO).

 

[Ted Moen]

Mindfullness is a great tool, not a replacement for therapy or medication for me. A big part of anxiety and panic for me is the fear of losing control of my behavior. When I feel an anxiety or panic attack starting, I use mindfullness training to counter that feeling. I immediately shift my focus to awareness of my breathing, controlling the rate of my breathing, paying attention to the feeling of the deep adominal breaths soothing my system. Gradually I expand my awareness back to my current situation, gently sorting out what is old stuff intruding and what is actually appropriate behavior in my current situation. When I am comfortable I am back in control of my behavior the anxiety and panic have usually passed and I go back to my current situation.

Mindfullness is a great tool to have in your toolbox of things to fall back on when certain ptsd symptoms intrude in your current situation.

Ted

 

[Xibalba]

I believe -- or WANT to believe, anyway -- that mindfulness CAN be a replacement for therapy and medication, but admit that it could take a long time. I don't want these damn drugs and idiotic therapists who seem to make things worse, never better. The best results I have gotten are from meditation and EFT (emotional freedom technique, a subject for another thread), but still after years I am a wreck, so it's a slow process. But I have to believe I can be free of drugs and therapy some day.

But, as always, everyone's mileage will differ. I do believe everyone should TRY good mindfulness training and see how it works for them.