According to mental health statistics, 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some form of mental disorder, as reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).
Common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety can disrupt your everyday life and make you exhausted. Fortunately, they are manageable. Some therapies are effective in helping you break free from patterns of repeated episodes of depression and anxiety. One of them is MBCT, which is a combination of mindfulness techniques with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Learn more about mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.
What is MBCT?
MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) is a combination of mindfulness techniques and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
- Mindfulness is a state of mind where you keep your focus on the present moment without judging it.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) means the process of learning how your thought process affects your behavior and actions.
How does it work?
This therapy was developed to treat depression by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale.
This therapy is used to improve your mental health by performing mindful meditation exercises (to target your moods and make you live in the current moment without judging it). Practicing this therapy not only improves your mental health but also makes you happier and joyful, improves your concentration, makes you self-aware, etc.
Techniques used in MBCT
There are many techniques used in MBCT. Some common ones are:
- Meditation: People may practice guided or self-directed meditation that helps them gain a greater awareness of their body, thoughts, and breathing.
- Body scan exercise: This involves lying down and bringing awareness and attention to different parts of the body. People typically start from their toes and move up through the body until they reach the top of the head.
- Mindfulness practices: Mindfulness involves becoming more aware of the present moment. It’s something that can be practiced during meditation, but people can also incorporate these activities into the things they do every day.
- Mindfulness stretching: This activity involves stretching mindfully to bring awareness to your body and mind.
- Breathwork: It includes diaphragmatic breathing, which is also called belly breathing, because it’s done by expanding the belly and breathing deeply into it. This helps relax your muscles and calm down.
These exercises take only about 10-15 minutes of your day but can have great effects on reducing stress levels, as well as improving sleep quality when practiced consistently over several weeks.
Who can benefit from Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)?
It is amazingly effective in people with:
- Anxiety.
- Panic attacks.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Social Phobias
- Depression.
- Depression relapse and treatment-resistant depression.
- Other mental health issues, such as sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia.
MBCT is not recommended for patients with psychosis, bipolar disorders, or borderline personality disorder, who may be at risk of relapse if they have a history of self-harm or suicide attempts, as mindfulness may increase suicidal tendencies.
Limitations of MBCT
As with any new treatment, there are limitations. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is not right for everyone. For example, MBCT is not found to be effective in treating bipolar disorder or hypomania. In addition, it does not replace traditional talk-based psychotherapy and medication for people with severe mental health problems like schizophrenia. It may be useful as an adjunct treatment for these patients when used with other therapies and prescribed medications.
Dealing with everyday stress over jobs, relationships, and life in general. It’s normal! But when mental health issues are not manageable, you need to seek professional help. Call us on + 1-718-367-2555 to get expert help in managing your mental health problem to lead a better quality of life. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Log on to www.doralhw.org. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
