how does mindfulness work

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Mindfulness How does is work? Martin Haythorne – PFG

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Page 1: How does mindfulness work

Mindfulness

How does is work?

Martin Haythorne – PFG

Page 2: How does mindfulness work

Stress and DepressionStress can often times lead Stress can often times lead to depressive and/or anxious to depressive and/or anxious statesstates

Examples:Examples:

Work, FamilyWork, Family

BillsBills

StudyingStudying

WorkloadWorkload

RelationshipsRelationships

FriendsFriends

Depression or Anxiety is Depression or Anxiety is the most common MH the most common MH issue in the UKissue in the UK

1 in 4 people in the UK will suffer a MH issue.

12% of the population suffer Depression in any singe year.

25% of older people will suffer Depression.

Page 3: How does mindfulness work

Signs of …

Depression

low, despairing moodlow, despairing mood

changes in appetite and changes in appetite and weightweight

sleep problemssleep problems

loss of interest in work, loss of interest in work, hobbies, people or sexhobbies, people or sex

Many more….Many more….

Anxiety

Persistent state of apprehensionPersistent state of apprehension

Catastrophic thinkingCatastrophic thinking

Irritability or edginessIrritability or edginess

Intense and sudden feelings of panicIntense and sudden feelings of panic

Fear of losing control or going Fear of losing control or going “crazy”“crazy”

Page 4: How does mindfulness work

Exhaustion Funnel

Page 5: How does mindfulness work

Try to Guess….What is Mindfulness?

Page 6: How does mindfulness work

Mindfulness is…The The awarenessawareness that emerges through paying attention that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to things as they are.judgmentally to things as they are.

A Therapeutic tool that enables us to switch from A Therapeutic tool that enables us to switch from unhelpful mind states.unhelpful mind states.

Why does it help?Why does it help?

It it the opposite of ruminative thinking that makes low It it the opposite of ruminative thinking that makes low moods persist and return.moods persist and return.

Page 7: How does mindfulness work

Is it a Problem?Ruminative Thinking?

Page 8: How does mindfulness work

The Rumanitive Mind

“Ruminative response style” – some people have a tendency to over focus for prolonged periods of time on negative mood and material, generally in a obsessive belief that such attention will enable them to solve the “problem.”

Instead they increase and maintain the emotional state, while arriving at no “solution”.

Like a Hamster on a wheel.

Page 9: How does mindfulness work

Cognitive Therapies…Most Cognitive Therapies focus on decentering people Most Cognitive Therapies focus on decentering people from Ruminative thinking and forcing change.from Ruminative thinking and forcing change.

The successful part is decentering someone from The successful part is decentering someone from Ruminative thinking.Ruminative thinking.

Why force change?Why force change?

Mindfulness focuses on the successful part of the Mindfulness focuses on the successful part of the strategy, rather than forcing change.strategy, rather than forcing change.

Mindfulness gives strategies to cope with life as it actually Mindfulness gives strategies to cope with life as it actually is.is.

Page 10: How does mindfulness work

Which is best?

The two states of mind

Doing and Being

Page 11: How does mindfulness work

The Doing ModeThe doing mode is the state of mind triggered when The doing mode is the state of mind triggered when something is perceived as not the way we want it to something is perceived as not the way we want it to be.be.

This is fine when there is an easy or achievable This is fine when there is an easy or achievable solution.solution.

So what is the problem?So what is the problem?

Sometimes there isn’t an achievable solution right now.Sometimes there isn’t an achievable solution right now.

The mind gets stuck in this mode and mood is driven The mind gets stuck in this mode and mood is driven lower.lower.

Page 12: How does mindfulness work

The Being ModeWe are called Human Beings, but we spend most of We are called Human Beings, but we spend most of our time doing….our time doing….

This mode is not driving us to a goal , so is much This mode is not driving us to a goal , so is much gentler.gentler.

What is its use?What is its use?

It is the mode of acceptance and allowing, it’s kinder on It is the mode of acceptance and allowing, it’s kinder on usus

It allows us to focus on now and lower stress, depressionIt allows us to focus on now and lower stress, depression

It doesn’t regret the past or worry about the future.It doesn’t regret the past or worry about the future.

Page 13: How does mindfulness work

The War GameWhen we get on the horse and ride into battle with When we get on the horse and ride into battle with against problems we go to war with Depression, against problems we go to war with Depression, anxiety, emotions etcanxiety, emotions etc

The problem is that a large part of what we are going The problem is that a large part of what we are going to war with is actually ourselves.to war with is actually ourselves.

What is the problem with that?What is the problem with that?

You are fighting yourself , there is no winnerYou are fighting yourself , there is no winner

Because of the battle you become more anxious, more Because of the battle you become more anxious, more depressed. A vicious circle.depressed. A vicious circle.

Page 14: How does mindfulness work

Experiential AvoidanceThis is the process we go through as we try to avoid This is the process we go through as we try to avoid our own feelings, emotions , physical sensations and our own feelings, emotions , physical sensations and memoriesmemories

It causes more problems because then we avoid It causes more problems because then we avoid exercising and socialising because of depression and exercising and socialising because of depression and anxietyanxiety

So what happens?So what happens?

We feel worseWe feel worse

Control is the problem not the solutionControl is the problem not the solution

Page 15: How does mindfulness work

Learn to experience the moment?Learn Mindfulness