Living in a fast-paced world has led many to suffer from serious mental issues. The rat-race that most people live in has resulted in stress, anxiety, and depression that has crippled many people around the world. If not addressed properly, these disorders can lead to life-threatening conditions ranging from heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, to substance abuse and suicide. Psychologists blame the overwhelming number of stimuli in today’s world as one of the leading causes of these mental issues.
Overwhelmed
The human mind seems incapable of handling tons of pressures of daily living. As technology progresses, so does the pressure to accomplish personal or career goals or tasks quickly. The bombardment of stimuli creates mental pressure that forces the brain to release stress hormones.
Under chronic stress, the mind fails to function sensibly. Aside from impaired thinking, a mind under constant agitation disrupts sleep. It also leads to irritability and changes in thoughts. These conditions reduce a person’s capacity to cope with the challenges in their life. What was once a jovial, hopeful individual can become morose and sorrowful.
Stress and Depression
Many people all over the world experience depression and chronic stress. From the US to Australia, millions are affected by the so-called stress and depression epidemic. In America alone, depression sucks the life out of around 16 million adults every year. On the other side of the world, Australians also feel the bite of the d犀利士
epression outbreak. A survey revealed that 40% of Australian adult women are diagnosed with either anxiety or depression.
Some sufferers of chronic stress, anxiety, and depression were able to live their lives but are still struggling to fill in the void of meaning, passion, and purpose. As if someone sucked the joy and enthusiasm out of their soul. Those with severe cases even decided to take their lives during a serious bout of depression to find lasting relief from their emotional and spiritual pain. It’s as if everything in their lives has gone wrong.
Meditation: A Way to Right the Wrongs
Fortunately, there’s still hope for people who have experienced wrong. Thanks to the ancient art called meditation, many people now have a way to cope with the mental challenges evident in today’s world. Since Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn introduced mindfulness meditation in the late 1970s, millions of people all over the world have found relief through this millennia-old practice.
An innovation from the ancient Buddhist ritual Vipassana, Kabat-Zinn devised the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a psychological therapy that can relieve stress, clear the mind and improve wellbeing. MBSR is backed by hundreds of scientific studies, making it one of the most effective therapeutic interventions for stress and depression.
Basic Mindfulness Meditation
Unlike the meditation practiced by Buddhist monks, a mindfulness session can be done anywhere. If you want to enjoy its benefits, here are some steps to successfully carry out this practice:
In a quiet, comfortable area, the person should sit on a chair, meditation cushion, or any other seat as long as the body is relaxed.
- Focus on what your body is feeling and doing at the present. Make an effort to put aside thoughts about your past and future.
- Pay attention to your breathing. Be mindful of the sensation of air flowing in and out of your nose. Feel the rising and falling of your belly.
- Become a passive observer of your thoughts. Allow them to come and go, whether it is anxiety, fear, worry, or hope. When they flash in your mind, just acknowledge them, without ignoring or suppressing them.
- If you feel you’re carried away in your thoughts, simply observe where your mind left off without judging and go back to your breathing. This is not a time to judge or be hard on yourself.
- After 10 minutes, sit for a minute to become aware of your present surroundings. Then get up slowly.
MBRS may just be another cult following for some people. But science has proven it to be one of the best solutions to the rising incidence of stress and depression.
Doing these sessions regularly can lead to better focus, mental clarity, as well as renewed joy and zest for life. Millions of people have benefited from this practice. They have regained their passion to live life better. They are in the process of righting the wrongs in their lives.
