All In The Mind? How Mindfulness Can Help Improve Mental Health And Well Being

This week is the Mental Health Foundation'si 16th Mental Health Awareness (MHA) week, which given its proximity to the resolution of the election, is a timely reminder of the need to honour the various pledges that suggest funding and provision of mental health should be given parity with physical health. The focus of this year's MHA promotion is mindfulness - the meditative technique designed to "clear the minds, root oneself in the present and give respite from the stresses and anxieties of modern day living".ii This week's blog therefore explores this concept of mindfulness and considers why the new government should prioritise mental health more widely.

Mindfulness, has much in common with cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) in as much as it supports strategies to give pause to - and even avoid - negative thought cycles and feelings. As such it is a technique to help tackle, not cure, depression and other emotional disturbances by moderating feelings which might otherwise be harder to cope with, and fostering a greater sense of wellbeing. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, without getting stuck in the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere, for 5 minutes or 5 hours. At the heart of it, mindfulness helps people observe the way they think and feel about their experiences, whether good or bad, helping to change the way reactions to stressful situations are managed, while providing a tool to help people stay mentally healthy. An expanding body of evidence shows that it really works.iii

Mindfulness is known to be successful in helping a range of problems, from stress, depression and anxiety to chronic pain, eating disorders and concentration. It can boost productivity at work, and lead to a greater enjoyment of life. However, while the MHF run a four week online course, designed to guide participants through the elements of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (CBMT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). However, there is currently only limited access to this and other training and support in mindfulness. Indeed access to psychological therapies remains limited, providing little choice of treatment and leaving many waiting with inadequate support. iv

Mental health services have been under intense pressure for some time with evidence of cuts in community teams and in services for children and young people, meaning increased pressure on acute beds - with reports of clinicians...