Mindfulness In Depression
Carrying out mindfulness in depression, as part of a structured intervention, can favor its effectiveness. This becomes important when the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that depression is a common mental disorder, affecting at least 300 million people in the world. Likewise, it ensures that it is the main global cause of disability, in addition to increasing morbidity directly and indirectly.
The WHO maintains that, in the worst case, depression can lead to suicide. However, there are effective treatments to treat it properly. It asserts that each year more than 800,000 people commit suicide, being the second cause of death in the 15 to 29-year-old group.
Although there are different types of treatments to deal with psychopathology, not all have the same efficacy in the patient. Finding the one that best suits your needs is the best way to heal without any side effects.
Harvard investigates the effects of mindfulness on depression
Research carried out by the prestigious Harvard University studies how the brain changes in depressed patients thanks to mindfulness. Benjamin Shapero, an instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), says that many people do not respond adequately to the first intervention that is proposed. In this way, looking for elements that complement it can be extremely enriching for public health.
Shapero argues that, although cognitive-behavioral therapy is useful, as well as antidepressant medications, these approaches work better and achieve faster results if other resources are implemented within the framework of the therapy, such as mindfulness. On the other hand , each patient will respond better if they follow an intervention adapted to their needs.
Practicing mindfulness in depression changes brain activity
Gaëlle Desbordes, a neuroscientist at MGH’s Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, is working with Dr. Shapero on this project. The starting point of Desbordes’ interest is absolutely personal, since he began to meditate during his student days.
Harvard reports that the research carried out uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to look at brain activity. In this way, the university ensures that in 2012 it has been shown that the changes achieved in the proposed intervention, which included mindfulness, were maintained even when they were not doing meditation.
However, research is currently being carried out in patients who have been diagnosed with depression. The effects of meditation on the brains of the respective patients are explored, which show that it is really effective.
The research performs image scanning before and after doing an eight-week course of mindfulness cognitive therapy. In this way, differential changes are observed in patients who practice mindfulness in depression.
Performing mindfulness in depression avoids mental rumination
Desbordes wants to test the hypothesis that practicing Mindfulness in depression ensures that patients can disengage more quickly from negative thoughts. The training aims to focus attention on the here and now, avoiding the yo-rumination cycle .
Likewise, other researchers are studying the effects of meditation and the variations in these practices. In one sense or another, research can significantly improve the quality of life of people on a global scale.
Performing mindfulness in depression not only helps patients to face extreme situations but also improves their quality of life. Even in mild depressions it can help the patient to recover without the need to consume psychotropic drugs. However, it is always advisable to consult a doctor for any pathology, to participate in an intervention that is adapted to your circumstances.
