The Scientific Evidence Of Mindfulness: Why And How It Benefits Us
Mindfulness, or Full Attention, is one of the concepts that has gained the most popularity in the world of meditation. But it has not only become known in that context, but today it is a practice widely used by psychologists, whether in psychotherapy sessions or in workshops for educational centers or companies, in training programs in emotional management for professionals. , etc.
In other words, Mindfulness is not only meditation as we usually understand it; It is also a mental health tool with a wide variety of areas of application, given that it provides objective benefits at various levels. Therefore, in this article we will talk about The evidence that exists about the usefulness of Mindfulness
The term “Mindfulness” can be understood in two different (although complementary) ways. On the one hand, it is a certain state of consciousness based on the management of the attention focus, which is directed towards the experiences of the present. On the other hand, it is a series of exercises and techniques to achieve that state of consciousness and which are the procedures used by psychologists to help patients and clients (although they can also be learned to apply to oneself).
And what exactly does this attentional state favored by Mindfulness consist of? As we have anticipated, its reason for being can be expressed through the phrase “being in the here and now”, with all that this entails. The person who practices Mindfulness adopts a series of strategies to focus their attention on the present moment, without judging it or valuing it morally, from an attitude of acceptance and simple observation of what is there.
It’s not about blanking your mind or trying not to think about anything (something that we will never achieve no matter how hard we try), but to see the sensations, stimuli and thoughts arrive, contemplate them, and see how they leave just as they came to us, without trying to cling to those mental or sensory contents.
In this way, Mindfulness allows us to break the vicious circle of anticipatory anxiety and psychological rumination making, so to speak, our state of consciousness “start from scratch”, directing a new way of seeing things when analyzing our present situation and without having to drag certain obsessive thoughts and mental routes that we travel over and over again. without realizing it and prevent us from progressing.
Thus, although in practice the experience of Mindfulness is associated with calm and well-being, the practice of Mindfulness should not be understood as a resource within the scope of relaxation techniques. Being in Mindfulness tends to relax us, yes, but that is one of the consequences of this type of activity, not its main objective.
What is Mindfulness for?
As we have said, Mindfulness is not just meditation, nor is it something whose main objective is to “make us feel good” in the moment or calm us down. Its therapeutic implications have more significance than that, and currently there is scientific evidence about its versatility in enhancing mental health and emotional balance. Let’s see what its most important benefits are.
1. Helps fight anxiety and stress
Mindfulness not only helps us mitigate stress and anxiety levels in a matter of minutes Furthermore, as it makes us go through a mental “reset”, it allows us to look directly at our problems without letting anxiety paralyze us, so that more solutions come to mind about how to overcome the problems that are behind each worry. , since we don’t try to avoid thinking about it.
Besides, This is one of the benefits of Mindfulness with the most ramifications since dysfunctional anxiety management is one of the most common causes of many psychological disorders, such as addictions.
2. It is a great help to cope with pain
Mindfulness is also used in the treatment of chronic pain, since Much of the discomfort caused by this type of affectation has psychological roots and it has to do with how we manage our attentional focus.
3. Helps prevent depression relapses
People more likely to experience depressive symptoms can practice Mindfulness to avoid falling into depressive episodes again. This is possible thanks to the ease with which, after getting used to practicing Mindfulness, we can invest our efforts and attention in what motivates us or gives us hope in life
4. Induces a state of acceptance useful for managing frustration and avoiding arguments
Mindfulness facilitates that we do not obsess over the “should be” and focus on the “is” something that helps us not suffer from what is out of our control.
Are you looking for psychological assistance and Mindfulness intervention services?
If you are interested in learning how to use Mindfulness in your daily life or want to start a psychotherapy process, contact us.
In Psychotools We serve patients of all ages and also conduct Mindfulness training programs. You can count on our services in person at our consultation in Barcelona, or online by video call.
