MINDFULNESS MEDITATION HELPS TEENAGE CANCER SURVIVORS

Few illnesses are more serious than cancer, and when the illness affects young people it is particularly distressing---and also so unfair.

A recent clinical trial led by researchers at the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine Children’s Hospital has shown that daily meditation can lessen some of the main psychological inconveniences ordinarily experienced by teenagers living with (including suffering or recuperating from) cancer and thereby help improve their overall mood as well as sleep patterns.

Mindfulness meditation focuses on the ‘now’---the so-called present moment, being that ‘space’ (for want of a better word) between one such moment and the next---and the connection between the mind and the body. Persons living with, as well as recovering from, cancer experience not only the physical symptoms of their condition, as well as the various treatments for the condition, but also the anxiety and uncertainty related to the possible progression of the disease and the anticipation of physical and emotional pain related to illness and treatment.

Now, as regards the above mentioned trial, the researchers asked 13 adolescents with cancer to complete questionnaires covering mood (positive and negative emotions, anxiety and depression), sleep patterns, and quality of life. The group was divided into two, with the first group of 8 adolescents being offered 8 mindfulness-based meditation sessions, and the remaining 5 adolescents in the control group being put on a wait-list. After the last meditation session, patients from both groups filled out the same questionnaires a second time.

The researchers found that teenagers who participated in the mindfulness group had lower scores in depression after completing the 8 mindfulness-based meditation sessions. Interestingly, female participants in the mindfulness group reported sleeping better than their male counterparts. The researchers also noticed that the female participants developed mindfulness skills to a greater extent than the males during the sessions.

Resource: Malboeuf-Hurtubise C, Achille M, Sultan S, and Vadnais M, ‘Mindfulness-based intervention for teenagers with cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial,’ Trials 2013, 14:135  http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/14/1/135

Image (above): Don Bayley/iStockphoto.com

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot 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 blogspot. 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

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS-BASED PRACTICES

Specific types of ‘mindfulness practices’ including Zen meditation have demonstrated benefits for patients with certain physical and mental health problems, according to a report in the July 2012 Journal of Psychiatric Practice.

‘An extensive review of therapies that include meditation as a key component -- referred to as mindfulness-based practices -- shows convincing evidence that such interventions are effective in the treatment of psychiatric symptoms and pain, when used in combination with more conventional therapies,’ according to Dr William R Marchand (pictured left) of the George E Wahlen Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Dr Marchand reviewed published studies evaluating the health benefits of mindfulness-based practices. The review focused on the following three techniques:

• Zen meditation, a Buddhist spiritual practice that involves the practice of developing mindfulness by meditation, typically focusing on awareness of breathing patterns.

• Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), a secular method of using Buddhist mindfulness, combining meditation with elements of yoga and education about stress and coping strategies.

• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which combines MBSR with principles of cognitive therapy (for example, recognizing and disengaging from negative thoughts) to prevent relapse of depression.

Dr Marchand found evidence that MBSR and MBCT have ‘broad-spectrum’ effects against depression and anxiety and can also decrease general psychological distress. Based on the evidence, MBCT can be ‘strongly recommended’ as an addition to conventional treatments (adjunctive treatment) for unipolar depression. Both MBSR and MBCT were effective adjunctive treatments for anxiety.

Research data also supported the effectiveness of MBSR to help reduce stress and promote general psychological health in patients with various medical and/or psychiatric illnesses. On its own, MBSR was helpful in managing stress and promoting general psychological health in healthy people. There was also evidence that Zen meditation and MBSR were useful adjunctive treatments for pain management.

How do these practices work to affect mental and physical health? Dr Marchand discusses recent research showing the impact of mindfulness practices on brain function and structure, which may in part account for their psychological benefits. ‘These mindfulness practices show considerable promise and the available evidence indicates their use is currently warranted in a variety of clinical situations,’ Marchand concludes.

The article includes some proposed evidence-based guidelines for incorporating mindfulness-based practices into health care. So far there's little evidence on which patients are most likely to benefit, but Dr Marchand suggests that patient preferences and enthusiasm are a good guide. He comments, ‘The most important considerations may be desire to try a mindfulness-based practice and willingness to engage in the regular practice of seated meditation.’

This post sets out a simple form of mindfulness sitting meditation.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot 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 blogspot. 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

MINDFULNESS DECREASES ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION IN CANCER PATIENTS

People undergoing cancer treatments, as well as those who have survived cancer, are at increased risk for negative mental health outcomes. Depression and anxiety are among the most common psychological consequences among cancer survivors and patients. Not knowing what the future holds and worrying about relapses can create fear and worry. Regrets about past choices and negative feelings associated with a former way of life can lead to depression in these individuals. Although it is well known that individuals who battle cancer may also have to overcome mental health problems, the best way to accomplish that is still widely debated.

Mindfulness-based therapies (MBT)--- not a single model of therapy, but rather an approach to working with clients that incorporates a range of approaches that have mindfulness and acceptance as their focus---have been used to address many negative psychological issues, including anxiety and depression. For individuals who have to deal with additional symptoms such as pain, MBT may be a useful tool.

Jacob Piet (pictured left) of the Department of Psychology at Aarhus University in Denmark recently conducted a study to see if MBT would be beneficial at reducing not only the physical symptoms associated with cancer, but also the psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety. For his study, Piet analyzed data from 22 separate studies that assessed the mental and physical health of over 1,400 individuals with cancer. The participants were evaluated for symptom severity and remission, as well as overall quality of life.

The results revealed that the participants who received MBT had steeper reductions in depressive and anxious symptoms than those who received usual care. Additionally, these same individuals also realized less rumination and worry associated with depression and anxiety.

Piet did find a difference between the results achieved in the randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and the nonrandomized studies, but regardless, the trend indicated that MBT was indeed a viable and effective option for treating both physical and psychological symptoms that arise from cancer diagnosis and treatment. Piet added, “Compared to other effective forms of psychological treatment, MBT may represent a more general approach to dealing with psychological distress by teaching participants to relate more skillfully to their experience.”

Numerous studies have been done on how mindfulness affects cancer patients in positive ways. One of the foremost experts, Dr Linda E Carlson, co-author of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: A Step-by-Step MBSR Approach to Help You Cope with Treatment and Reclaim Your Life found patients with mixed cancer diagnoses who participated in mindfulness training had lower mood disturbance and stress symptoms after mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and those improvements were maintained at a 6 month follow-up.

Another study by Carlson and colleagues found patients with early-stage breast and prostate cancer experienced improvements in quality of life, symptoms of stress, and sleep quality.

Resource: Piet J, Würtzen H, Zachariae R. (2012) ‘The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.’ Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. May 7, 2012, no pagination specified. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0028329

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot 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 blogspot. 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