Mindfulness has been defined in different ways according to different authors. Bishop and his colleagues define it as: “A non-elaborative, non-judgmental form of attention focused on the present, in which every thought, feeling or sensation that appears in the attentional field is recognized and accepted as it is” (2004).
It is a technique that has elementary principles in common with meditation, although meditation is born in a spiritual context and consists of a contemplative practice. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is unrelated to religious beliefs and philosophies of concrete life and has currently been shown scientifically effective to help with problems such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, personality disorders, pain, and stress, among others. (Vasquez, 2016)
- Mindfulness components
1. Attention in here and now: focus on the present moment instead of being aware of the past (rumination) or the future (expectations, desires and fears)
2. Intention: When you are meditating you should not try to achieve any immediate purpose, you simply have to participate with full awareness of what you are doing.
3. Open mind: Ability to observe the experience without interposing the filter of one’s own beliefs.
4. Acceptance: Experience events fully and without defences, as they are, without resisting.
5. Get rid: It consists of detaching ourselves from something to which we clung. Nothing is forever, you have to relate more realistically to things.
- Some benefits of mindfulness
- It reduces stress, since it brings us to a state of tranquility and mental clarity. No judgments are made so negative emotions such as worries do not appear.
- Enhances emotional intelligence, improving emotional intelligence through self-awareness. Recognition of emotions can lead to more adaptive management of interpersonal relationships.
- Mental health problems and health problems. There are several studies that have shown that Mindfulness is beneficial for different problems. Its potential is not exclusively reduced to the psychological, but it can also help to improve some physical conditions such as chronic pain or cancer, facilitating tolerance to interventions and reducing comorbid symptoms.
- Regarding psychological problems, mood disorders are the most explored area and where Mindfulness has shown the best results to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression, observing in the latter that depressive relapses decrease.
- The ability to concentrate is improved since through full concentration we must concentrate on only one thing.
- Helps reduce insomnia, with enough training we can bring our body and mind to a state of relaxation that benefits the quality and quantity of sleep.
Mindfulness is a technique frequently used in therapy that with the help of a professional can be learned and applied to generally improve one’s quality of life.
Xavi Ponseti
Col. Nº B-03138
References: Vásquez-Dextre, E. R. (2016). Mindfulness: Conceptos generales, psicoterapia y aplicaciones clínicas. Revista de Neuro-Psiquiatría, 79(1), 42-51.
