Tired of seeing positive quotes on social media? Study: "Mindfulness" is not a panacea for worries! Is exercise more effective?

Mental
Tired of seeing positive quotes on social media? Study: "Mindfulness" is not a panacea for worries! Is exercise more effective?

Everyone hopes to maintain positive energy and live a carefree life every day, but unfortunately life is full of challenges. If you are unable to overcome the difficulties brought by the environment psychologically, it may lead to depression or anxiety. Therefore, the concept of “mindfulness” has become very popular in recent years. According to the “Taiwan Mindfulness Workshop”, mindfulness is “consciously aware of the current body, mind and environment, and maintaining an objective, allowing and non-judgmental attitude.” The concept of mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular as a way to increase happiness and reduce stress. The University of Cambridge in the UK conducted research on the impact of mindfulness on people.

Mindfulness therapy may not improve depression, exercise may be better

The research team first established 136 mindfulness trials that can promote mental health, and then found a total of 11,605 subjects from 29 countries around the world to accept this trial. Their ages ranged from 18 to 73, and more than 77% of them The subject was female.

After experiments, the research team concluded that in most cases, compared with doing nothing, mindfulness can indeed reduce anxiety, depression and stress, and increase happiness; however, the results also show that in more than 1/2 Mindfulness therapy may not improve anxiety and depression in 20 trial settings. Julietta, a Ph.D. from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, who led the research. Julieta Galante said that for the average person, practicing mindfulness can indeed improve our mental health than doing nothing, especially in terms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress, but it should not be assumed that mindfulness is good for everyone. , or will be effective in any situation.

Also from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge is Peter. Professor Peter Jones also mentioned that although mindfulness is usually better than taking no action, there may actually be other effective ways to improve mental health, such as exercise. Other methods may prove to be more suitable alternatives if they are more effective, more culturally acceptable, or more cost-effective.

Pressure caused by pressure from relatives, friends or psychologists, psychological treatment may have counter-effects

Not only mindfulness courses may not be effective for patients with depression or anxiety, but “Green Prescriptions” (Green Prescriptions), which allow patients with depression to get in touch with nature through home planting or hiking, can also make them feel happy. It does not apply to all patients with mental disorders. Research published by the University of Exeter in the UK shows that patients with depression who spontaneously go to the mountains to contact nature are still effective in suppressing depression; but if the contact with nature is involuntary (for example, forced by relatives or friends) , or being supervised by a psychologist), the effect will not only be greatly reduced, but it will even increase their stress and worsen their condition.

According to the above two studies, we can know that the methods of helping mental health are not suitable for all individuals facing depression problems. In addition, everyone’s life background, growth environment, and current situation are different. If you have had enough of psychotherapy sessions or are tired of seeing positive chicken soup quotes on social media, you might as well find ways to relax your body and mind first, such as through exercise or cultivating interests (such as reading, watching TV shows). You can also chat with friends you haven’t seen for a long time to help relax your mental state.

In addition, eating more anti-inflammatory nutrients can also have positive benefits for the body. In terms of diet, you may wish to consume more fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish and other ingredients. Adopting a “Mediterranean diet” can also help improve depression. If you feel that you really can’t hold on any longer, be sure to call the Anxin hotline 1925 or Teacher Zhang 1980 first. Remember, you are not alone and always give yourself the opportunity to be helped.

source:

Mindfulness-based programs for mental health promotion in adults in nonclinical settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Results from an 18 country cross-sectional study examining experiences of nature for people with common mental health disorders

About Mindfulness-Taiwan Mindfulness Workshop

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