I was a sceptic. I freely admit it. In fact, I think it would be fair to say I still am. ‘Mindfulness’ must just be another gimmick. The term was adopted from the Buddhist Eight-fold Noble Path, where as a form of meditation and spiritualism it sits perfectly at ease, but is now found in clinics, schools and psychologists’ treatment rooms all over the country. Come on, it’s all just compassion and self-awareness right? That’s certainly nothing new.
Yet there’s something about Mindfulness that is making sceptics everywhere sit up and take note. ‘Mindfulness’ is described as training in paying attention to the present moment through techniques like stretching, breathing, walking and even eating. Through training we are supposed to feel more aware of our own thoughts and therefore more in control of them. Unashamedly rooted in religious meditation practices, it is supposedly rigorously adapted for the modern world. It certainly paints an interesting picture, but does religiously-based meditation really have a place in modern psychology?
With research and practice centres located in both Oxford and Cambridge, the practice of Mindfulness being recommended by NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) and the development of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness is no longer an ‘alternative’ therapy or questionable psychological practice. In fact, as with all good psychological treatments, the science does the talking. In patients with more than 3 previous episodes of depression, use of MBCT over 12 months has been shown to reduce the recurrence rate by 40-50% compared to ordinary care of depression[1]. Importantly, this is just as effective as the use of antidepressants. On top of this, it has some more surprising effects. The increase of blood flow caused by the meditation decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and the severity of it if contracted. Neuroscientific studies show changes in the areas of the brain attributed to decision-making and empathy and The Mental Health Foundation claims it can also help with anxiety disorders, addictive behaviour, stress, chronic pain and even insomnia. While we must be careful in our assumptions from these studies, Mindfulness certainly has a psychological and physiological effect on the brain and body. These are very big claims. But what about the small scale?
It would seem Mindfulness can help improve well-being, concentration and success in everyday life too. Mindfulness is not just for those with mental illnesses or specific health concerns. The practice was tested in schools in Cambridge, on 14-15 year old boys (surely the kings of the sceptics) by Huppert and Johnson. The boys provided results through online questionnaires, and despite inevitable scepticism there was seen to be a ‘significant increase in wellbeing’ amongst the boys, with the greatest benefit seen to those boys with the lowest emotional stability to begin with[2]. Mindfulness works in schools, so why not at university? At the University of East Anglia the counselling service is encouraging all students to try Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and provides group settings with teachers in order to facilitate this.
Here at Cambridge we are not exempt from the need for Mindfulness. In fact at this competitive, academically rigorous and socially demanding university we have serious need for space to breathe and real techniques to aid relaxation and focus. Surrounded by psychologists and scientists we must remember to be mindful of the sceptics, because on this occasion, however well-meaning we are, there is a very good chance that we just might be wrong.
So yes, you’ve caught me, this sceptic is well and truly converted. Not that I’ve tried it yet. But this term, and this year, I pledge to use the book and CD I bought by Jon Kabat-Zinn, developer of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, every day when possible. I pledge to enrol on the Introduction to Mindfulness workshop offered by the university counselling service. The only catch? It’s going to take time and commitment, but with the possibility of such positive results I pledge without hesitation to give Mindfulness a go. Watch this space sceptics!
Appendix 1
[1] Williams, J. M. G. (2012) Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy: a promising new approach to preventing depressive relapse The British Journal of Psychiatry, 200, 359-360
[1] Huppert, F. A. & Johnson, D. M. (2010)A controlled trial of mindfulness training in schools: The importance of practice for an impact on well-beingThe Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 264-274
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