The Neurobiological Effects of Long-term Mindfulness Meditation In the recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the utilization of meditation and mindfulness as alternate treatments and management of stress and anxiety. Mindfulness has increasingly been incorporated in psychotherapy and great amount of research is being dedicated to finding its effects and treatment outcomes. Kabat-Zinn (2003, p.145) defines mindfulness as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.” Mindfulness was introduced into the western culture as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn for management of chronic
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Furthermore, Kabat-Zinn indicates that mindfulness is not a temporary, short-term practice, but rather a life-long process that requires commitment and constant practice in order to develop and deepen (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Additionally, self-regulation of sustained attention and an orientation towards understanding of one’s experiences are crucial components of mindfulness (Bishop et al., 2004). Today, mindfulness is being integrated into treatment of various clinical syndromes such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, eating disorders, depression, and borderline personality disorder, through approaches such as MBSR dialectic behavior therapy (DBT and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) (Bishop et al., 2004). Previous research on MBSR showed that when utilizing mindfulness as a treatment, by observing emotion, sensation, or cognitions nonjudgmentally, participants were able to realize that most sensations and thoughts fluctuate and are temporary, which …show more content…
In this research, Singh et al. (2016) provided caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) to help them manage their mental well-being better. Results of the study showed that MBPBS was significantly more effective than the normal training these caregivers received in helping them managing their stress, reducing the use of physical restraints and stat medication for the individuals in their care, and reducing the aggressive events by the care-receivers (Singh et al., 2016). Hence, using MBPBS as a mean of training caregivers not only lowers their stress and burnout, but also helps them in providing better care for those in their care. Other relevant studies of the effectiveness of mindfulness suggest its helpfulness in long-term learning and improved life skills (Smith, 2015), short-term improved functioning in individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease (Advocat et al., 2016), reduced pain and increased modulation of select pro-inflammatory cytokines in military women with chronic pelvic pain (Crisp et al., 2016), treating perinatal and postpartum mood disorders (Tomfohr-Madsen et al., 2016), smoking cessation and treating addiction (Brewer et al., 2013), and treating anxiety in youths at risk for bipolar disorder through MBCT and
Furthermore, Kabat-Zinn indicates that mindfulness is not a temporary, short-term practice, but rather a life-long process that requires commitment and constant practice in order to develop and deepen (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Additionally, self-regulation of sustained attention and an orientation towards understanding of one’s experiences are crucial components of mindfulness (Bishop et al., 2004). Today, mindfulness is being integrated into treatment of various clinical syndromes such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, eating disorders, depression, and borderline personality disorder, through approaches such as MBSR dialectic behavior therapy (DBT and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) (Bishop et al., 2004). Previous research on MBSR showed that when utilizing mindfulness as a treatment, by observing emotion, sensation, or cognitions nonjudgmentally, participants were able to realize that most sensations and thoughts fluctuate and are temporary, which …show more content…
In this research, Singh et al. (2016) provided caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) with Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) to help them manage their mental well-being better. Results of the study showed that MBPBS was significantly more effective than the normal training these caregivers received in helping them managing their stress, reducing the use of physical restraints and stat medication for the individuals in their care, and reducing the aggressive events by the care-receivers (Singh et al., 2016). Hence, using MBPBS as a mean of training caregivers not only lowers their stress and burnout, but also helps them in providing better care for those in their care. Other relevant studies of the effectiveness of mindfulness suggest its helpfulness in long-term learning and improved life skills (Smith, 2015), short-term improved functioning in individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease (Advocat et al., 2016), reduced pain and increased modulation of select pro-inflammatory cytokines in military women with chronic pelvic pain (Crisp et al., 2016), treating perinatal and postpartum mood disorders (Tomfohr-Madsen et al., 2016), smoking cessation and treating addiction (Brewer et al., 2013), and treating anxiety in youths at risk for bipolar disorder through MBCT and