MINDFULNESS HELPS STOP YOUR MIND FROM WANDERING

'I wonder as I wander.' For some people, it's more a case of, 'I wander as I wonder.' For others -- far too many, in fact -- it's simply, 'I wander as I wander.'

A new study from the University of Waterloo set out to see whether a short bout of mindfulness training might help focus the minds of people who are clinically anxious.

‘Our results indicate that mindfulness training may have protective effects on mind wandering for anxious individuals,’ said study author Mengran Xu, pictured right, in a statement. ‘We also found that meditation practice appears to help anxious people to shift their attention from their own internal worries to the present-moment external world, which enables better focus on a task at hand.’

Previous studies have found that mindfulness meditation can quell the mind’s tendency to wander, by quieting a region of the brain known as the default mode network (DMN)—the part of the brain that’s ‘on’ when our minds are just wandering about. Other studies have shown its physical effects on the brain over time, not the least of which is its connection to greater volume in areas like the hippocampus, which in part governs emotion regulation (and is smaller in depressed people) and reduced volume in the amygdala, which plays a central role in stress and fear. And a study last month found that the two classic forms of meditation, focused attention and open monitoring, have the capacity to reduce the number of ‘intrusive’ thoughts people had when they were asked to conjure up a personal fear.

Study: Xu M, Purdon C, Seli P and Smilek D. ‘Mindfulness and mind wandering: The protective effects of brief meditation in anxious individuals.’ Consciousness and Cognition. Volume 51, May 2017, pp 157-165.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blog. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org

NEW STUDY FINDS THAT MINDFULNESS REDUCES WORRY

Why worry? If it’s going to happen, then worry won't change that fact. And if it’s not going to happen, then there’s absolutely no point in worrying at all. Still, lots of people worry. Indeed, we all worry at some stage or another in our lives. Yes, we worry and we also infect others with our worries.

The English word ‘worry’ comes from the Old English word wyrgan and Old High German word wurgen, both meaning ‘to strangle, to choke’. When we worry, we strangle ourselves, so to speak. Actually, not so to speak, but well-nigh literally. Worry is very bad for the body, the mind and the spirit. People say, 'I'm sick with worry,' or 'I'm worried to death.' Do they really know the truth of what they're saying? People can literally worry themselves sick--and in some cases even to death. 

Worry is a state of mental uneasiness ('dis-ease'), disquiet and anxious apprehension, and it has been described as the 'number one plague of modern time'. 'A certain well controlled carefreeness may be an asset,' wrote the American minister and author Dr Norman Vincent Peale (pictured right). 'Normal sensible concern is an important attribute of the mature person. But worry frustrates one’s best functioning.' What's worse, worry chokes out the joy of living, even the very spirit of life itself.

A recent randomised study of 77 participants examined the impact of the following types of mindfulness on the frequency of intrusive negative thoughts and measured subjective anxiety levels: (i) guided acceptance-based mindfulness meditation; (ii) attention-based breath meditation; and (iii) progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). 

The most effective technique for reducing the frequency of negative thoughts was a guided acceptance-based mindfulness meditation. The essence of this form of mindfulness – it is at the heart of all mindfulness practice – is acceptance. Thoughts come and feelings arise. Let them come. Let them arise. Watch. Look. Observe. But don’t judge or evaluate them. And don’t resist them or struggle against them. Let them be … and they will pass. If you give them no power, they cannot and will not trouble you.

The second form of mindfulness studied was attention-based breath meditation. Here, one focuses on one’s breath at the point where the sensation of in-breath – the first moment of in-breath – is most prominent for you in terms of sensation. It is not a matter of following your breath in and out but of staying at the point of sensation and bringing your attention back to that point when the mind wanders. According to the study, breath awareness was slightly less effective in reducing negative thoughts but it was still quite useful.

The third form of mindfulness – progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) – was found to be the least effective in reducing the frequency of negative thoughts. Actually, PMR is not really a form of mindfulness meditation. It has its place – as a method of relaxation. PMR was developed by the American physician Dr Edmund Jacobson (pictured left), in the early 1920s. Jacobson developed over 200 exercises and techniques which, taken together, relax the entire body by releasing muscular tension that accumulates as a person experiences a stressful situation. You focus your attention on different muscles in the body and tense and then relax these muscles. 

Let's be careful not to disparage PMR. Other studies have shown that PMR can not only alleviate tight muscles and cramps but also reduce the intensity of pain, relieve stress and anxiety and reduce depression. However, this particular study found that PMR was not all that effective in reducing the frequency of negative thoughts.

When a negative thought or feeling arises, simply watch it. Observe it. There is no need to replace it with a positive thought. Some find that helpful. I prefer to give the negative thought no attention – and thus no power over me – and quickly move on in consciousness. Non-resistance – another word for acceptance – is the key.

Study: Ainsworth B, Bolderston H, and Garner M. ‘Testing the differential effects of acceptance and attention-based psychological interventions on intrusive thoughts and worry.’ Behav Res Ther. 2017 Jan 24;91:72-77. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2017.01.012. 

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blog. In Australia, for immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14, beyondblue on 1300 22 4636, or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, and for information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) or go online via sane.org. In other countries, call the relevant mental health care emergency hotline or simply dial your emergency assistance telephone number and ask for help.