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Depression is a major human health problem. Depression affects 20% of people aged 65 and over, increases the risk of heart disease and death from disease, affects people's daily lives by making them isolated. socially established and affect cognitive function. There are many treatments for depression, in addition to drug therapy, many scientific studies have shown the role of mindfulness meditation in treating and alleviating recurrent depression.
1. The role of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of depression
Many scientific studies have been done to prove the role of mindfulness meditation in the treatment of depression. For example, a study conducted by Willem Kuyken - University of Oxford UK conducted on nearly 1,300 patients with a history of depression. The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy in treating recurrent depression with other treatments, including antidepressants and usual care. After a 60-week follow-up period, the results showed that patients who received mindfulness therapy were less likely to have a relapse of depression than patients who received usual care and had the same risk of relapse. in patients treated with antidepressants.
Another study was done in 424 adults with depression. The group of patients participating in the study was divided into two subgroups with two treatments: mindfulness meditation and medication. Patients assigned to mindfulness had eight group sessions of more than two hours plus daily practice at home and the option of four follow-up sessions over a year. Treatment includes mindfulness training, group discussions, and cognitive behavioral exercises. Patients who are prescribed drug treatment will be maintained for 2 years. The study results after 2 years of follow-up showed that the rate of relapse in the two groups was similar with 44% in the mindfulness meditation group and 47% in the drug group.
Researchers have shown that mindfulness meditation therapy is more effective than pills and may offer a new option for patients who do not want to take medication for a long time. Currently, maintenance antidepressants are an important treatment method to help prevent relapses, reducing the chance of relapse by up to two-thirds when used correctly. However, in many cases where patients, for various reasons, cannot continue to be treated with antidepressants or do not want to continue using them for a long time without an indefinite end, the application of the Daily meditation practice is an effective choice.
Thiền chánh niệm có vai trò hiệu quả trong điều trị trầm cảm
Scientists also say that mindfulness meditation originally appeared with the purpose of cultivating happiness and virtue in people. However, the enormous effectiveness of this approach plays an increasingly important role in self-healing depression, giving the patient awareness of feelings and thoughts as well as the ability to adjust and cope. more effective with negative emotions.
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2. How does mindfulness meditation help with depression?
There are many treatments for depression. Among them, drug treatment and psychotherapy are the traditional and first-choice treatment methods. Additionally, mindfulness meditation has been shown to help change the way the brain responds to stress and anxiety.
Stress and anxiety are major causes of depression and mindfulness meditation can change a person's response to those feelings. According to scientists, mindfulness meditation helps the brain achieve sustainable concentration and is not affected much when negative thoughts and negative emotions intrude - which often happens in people with depression. cold.
Mindfulness meditation helps treat recurrent depression through the mechanism of altering certain brain regions that are specifically associated with depressive syndrome. For example, scientists have shown that the prefrontal cortex (mPFC) becomes hyperactive in people with depression. The mPFC is called the “me center” because it is where the brain processes information about the self, such as worries about the future or thoughts about the past. When people are under stress, stress in life, mPFC will be overactive.
Another brain region responsible for depression is the amygdala, also known as the "fear center". This is the part of the brain responsible for the body's response, triggering the adrenal glands to release the stress hormone cortisol in response to fear and perceived danger. These two brain regions work together to lead to depression. My center works in response to stress and anxiety, and the fear center's response leads to a spike in cortisol levels to combat dangerous perceptions that arise in the mind. Research from scientists has found that mindfulness meditation helps to break the connection between these two brain regions, ignoring negative feelings, stress and anxiety. This partly explains why stress levels drop when you meditate.
Thiền chánh niệm giúp bạn giảm căng thẳng và lo lắng
Another mechanism by which mindfulness meditation helps the brain is to protect the hippocampus (an area of the brain involved in memory). The results of several studies have shown that people with recurrent depression often have a smaller hippocampus size. In addition, people who performed mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes a day for 8 weeks increased gray matter volume in the hippocampus.
The purpose of mindfulness meditation is not to stop negative thoughts or get rid of stress, but to pay attention to those thoughts and feelings and understand that you don't have to act on them. This can be as simple as closing your eyes and repeating a phrase or counting your breaths, they allow you to create some distance from negative thoughts or feelings of stress, helping you to realize that even though Stress or negative emotions can affect you, but they are not you.
Mindfulness meditation can also help the brain deal with stressful situations. For example, mindfulness meditation a few minutes before an interview or an exam can help shift the brain and body from reacting to stress to a state of relative calm.
Thus, mindfulness meditation offers many benefits and is effective in the treatment of recurrent depression. However, just like following a diet and exercising, it takes time to feel the results of daily mindfulness meditation. A sustained exercise regimen will help you manage the emotions of stress and anxiety that lead to depression.
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References: health.harvard.edu, theguardian.com, webmd.com
