Stress, pressure, and other uncontrolled outside factors may cause or contribute to depression. There are different reasons why people may fall into this condition. But the good news is that you can always do something to lessen the risk of being depressed. There are several practices, including mindfulness, that can help people get through their depressive state.
Mindfulness is an idea that has been around for a very long time now. It is an approach that can help you deal with stressful days. Mindfulness, in simple terms, is simply being in the moment. It implies that you focus on the things that are in front of you at the time. It also provides different strategies to help you recenter and lessen stress.
Mindfulness Helps in Fighting Depression
There is evidence that mindfulness can help fight depression in different ways. Here are some of the most effective ways you can use this technique to deal with depression:
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can be beneficial for people with depression. This is an approach where mindfulness meditation is combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. The main focus is to deal with harmful behavior patterns. It is also used for the prevention of relapses among people who have recurrent depression. Studies found that symptoms of depression affecting sleep, appetite, and mood have changed with this approach.
Begin with Your Breath
In terms of mindfulness and meditation, breathing plays an important role. Whenever you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you can just focus on your breath. Close your eyes and think of that process of how the air enters your lungs. This has a calming effect, especially when done regularly before any stressful event is about to take place.
Change Your Thinking
One of the most important benefits of meditation is that it can help change your thinking. You will realize that a few minutes of meditation before you start a stressful day will make you calmer and more composed. It does not change the situation, but it can help you see a better perspective. With regular meditation, you will undoubtedly learn how to control your reaction to stress, which will eventually help you with depression.
Breath Awareness Meditation
In mindful meditation, breath awareness is considered vital. This is a type of meditation that you can do while you’re sitting or standing. All you need to do is to listen and focus on your breathing for 15 minutes. This can help release tension and control unwanted reactions to your life situation. Paying attention to how you breathe for a few minutes can help you stabilize your mood.
Visualization
This technique is recommended for people who have negative experiences in the past. With visualization, you think of the negative situation and turn it into something positive. One way this happens is to visualize a negative experience and turn the situation into a symbol. After that, you are guided by another person or yourself to turn the symbol into something positive.
Tips and Tricks
Here are some of the tips and tricks you can consider to apply mindfulness in your daily life:
Practice at the Same Time Every Day
Choose a specific time of day for your mindfulness activity. Some people prefer to do it early in the morning before they have their coffee. For others, they would do it before sleeping. Choose a time of day when you are not too busy, and you can regularly do some meditation.
Be Creative
There are different meditation activities that you can choose from. You do not have to stick with a single activity. Be creative and try to mix and match. This way, you will not feel bored about what you are doing. You can try some breathing exercises before you sleep. In the morning, you can consider doing some yoga poses before you start your day.
Give it Time
One thing you should know about mindfulness is that it takes time to fully see the effects. You have to be patient and consistent. You will see the impact after staying with the program for a while. There are several effects, and you will begin to see them in your mood and how you deal with everyday stress and hassles. Mindfulness will not heal you overnight. Pair it with a regular sleep routine and a healthy diet. With all of these combined, you will see better results.
Mindfulness is not only for people who have active or recurring depression. It is an approach for anyone who deals with stress regularly. If you anticipate a day full of pressure, the best way to deal with it is to practice mindfulness.
About the Author: Dhaval Patel is a publisher at Zenfulspirit.com, a blog dedicated to mindfulness, meditation, mental health, and much more. He is an expert writer who writes on different subjects like health and meditation. He loves to share his ideas and strives to make his writings descriptive and meaningful.
Mental Health Month 2021
Access for All
May is Mental Health Month, a time to spread public awareness and education about mental health disorders and reflect on the impact of mental illness on individuals and their families.
It is also a time to recognize and commit to changing the racial and economic inequities in our health care system, particularly with respect to mental health.
www.rtor.org and Laurel House are committed to the advancement of racial equity and social justice, and to making mental health services accessible to all.
Photo by Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash
The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of www.rtor.org or its sponsor, Laurel House, Inc. The author and www.rtor.org have no affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their author bios only.
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