Mindfulness-based stress reduction

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by StressReduction

I guess this is sort of a second-hand experience, but I work at a psychology lab that does research on Social Anxiety Disorder, and as part of our study, we offer clinical interventions to people who suffer from social anxiety.

Through my work, I have seen people go from terrified of the smallest social interaction, like saying hi at the grocery store, to believing in themselves and giving presentations in front of groups. I know that I've learned a lot from just being a part of this, and I hope others can benefit too. That's why I wanted to share my experience.

If you or someone you know is in the San Francisco Bay area is looking for
help (specifically, free therapy), contact the CAAN lab at the Stanford Psychology Department:
650-723-5977 or email us (caan.mbsr@gmail.com)

At the website you can find out more about our study: http://waldron.stanford.edu/~caan/Free_Treatment.html
​

 

Hi

(Copied over from old review system)

Posted by StressReduction

I guess this is sort of a second-hand experience, but I work at a psychology lab that does research on Social Anxiety Disorder, and as part of our study, we offer clinical interventions to people who suffer from social anxiety.

Through my work, I have seen people go from terrified of the smallest social interaction, like saying hi at the grocery store, to believing in themselves and giving presentations in front of groups. I know that I've learned a lot from just being a part of this, and I hope others can benefit too. That's why I wanted to share my experience.

If you or someone you know is in the San Francisco Bay area is looking for
help (specifically, free therapy), contact the CAAN lab at the Stanford Psychology Department:
650-723-5977 or email us (caan.mbsr@gmail.com)

At the website you can find out more about our study: http://waldron.stanford.edu/~caan/Free_Treatment.html
​

That would be cool if they gave free sessions over the phone.

 

Meditation Really Works for Me

I've had anxiety ever since I could remember. I couldn't join a yoga class because of my SA. So, I found a someone who does meditation. I meet with her once a week to do some meditation and it works wondering for me. The negative thoughts and voices I had are subdued and now I know how to fight them. I'm been suffering from the negative thoughts for most of my life and I finally got some relief. I feel like I can do anything now.

 

I'd already tried meditation and I'm working on it now. I still don't see any results but I could see that my negative thought patterns are slowly subduing. I don't know if meditation really helps me but the idea of mindfulness guided me in my everyday life. Mindfulness is good. Any good books can you suggest that will help me in doing my daily meditation?

 

Hi



I actually have a meditation coach that also does therapy. So, she is like a second therapist to me. Most of the sessions are individual so she tailors the meditation to how I'm feeling. I'm so thankful for her because I only pay her $10 a session. Perhaps, you can see if there's any free meditation circles or individual sessions around your area? Personally, I need interaction. Books don't work for me.

 

I want to train myself to think in the present more. Does meditation help with this? Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

Yes, meditation helps with this. In basic terms meditation is focus. It is focus to the point that all other stimuli diminish from your awareness. This means that you have your attention centered on something so much that all else fades from your awareness. Meditation used in this context means that a person can be in a state of meditation for anything.

For instance, one can be in a meditative state thinking about something that happened at home they did not like or one can be in a meditative state feeling love. As you can see, it is most desirable to actively put your focus on something that feels good to you.

Meditation naturally quiets the mind. This is due to the fact that your focus is so intent on what you are doing that you naturally slip into a state of non-thinking. Based on this explanation, meditation can also be described as a process of non-thinking. You are literally "out of your mind", when you meditate. This is even true when the source of the meditation is from thinking. As you think of something so intently where all other stimuli diminish, you eventually "slip into the gap" of non-thinking.

The more you train your mind to focus the easier it gets.

 

I practice meditation and it helps me. I am working on being mindful. I dissociate a lot.

 

I think if you keep on practicing meditation; you will get better at it. It's like building a muscle.

 

Meditation and mindfulness is the main way I deal with my mental problems, has helped more than any pill does and in an organic way, obviously.

 

I've really been thinking about meditation. I think perhaps it could help me with a lot of problems I have, especially all of the negative thoughts that keep me down. But I'm not quite sure if I should do it or not yet.

But it sounds like a great thing.

 

These things helped me immensely with clinical depression and bipolar disorder, lasting long-term, almost twenty years. Basically I realized how the emotions form, what thoughts and beliefs lead me where, and changed a few details. Now for a two-week period I might have one or two bad days; seven-eight months ago I would have thirteen.

End result is that I'm a whole different person. Change is scary, but good. It's been a shock and sometimes still is; I sometimes stop and burst into tears on seeing a shape in the clouds, or hearing a bit of music or birdsong; I haven't seen beauty in these things since I was a child.

Against anxiety it is difficult; under the pressure of dealing with other people my emotions usually still run away from me, but I've made some substantial progress. No medication. Before I stopped seeing her for lack of funds my last therapist told me I'm doing cognitive-behavioral therapy on myself. That was nicely encouraging.

 

I used to be like you're describing too

These things helped me immensely with clinical depression and bipolar disorder, lasting long-term, almost twenty years. Basically I realized how the emotions form, what thoughts and beliefs lead me where, and changed a few details. Now for a two-week period I might have one or two bad days; seven-eight months ago I would have thirteen.

I had the intense feelings disconnected from my memories and the pain was gone. Now, I can just do an exercise when I feel something bothering me and get rid of it myself.

It isn't deep meditation, but an instant grounding. It takes thirty seconds.

I feel much more even keeled and I've even been told that I'm the most sensible and balanced person.

 

I have been thinking about this for a long time. If I did it try it, I would need something that both does its job and doesn't rely too much on non-secular ideas. I'm typically unimpressed by theism. So it sounds like the 'real, authentic' practices that people tend to push as ideal wouldn't be ideal for me. No chakra, no chi, no ego obliteration. Something more general that I can at least better personalize and ritualize, perhaps, if I can find nothing better.

 

I'm typically unimpressed by theism. So it sounds like the 'real, authentic' practices that people tend to push as ideal wouldn't be ideal for me. No chakra, no chi, no ego obliteration.

Then have a read: wikipedia page on mindfulness as psychology technique, divorced from religion and mysticism, though it does reference those.

Honestly I've never thought of it as mindfulness, but after several months of the practice stumbled on the description and was pleasantly surprised. To me it is nothing more than a higher level of self-awareness. Standing aside to watch oneself think, along with the ability to direct those thoughts to some extent, very useful in managing moods. I've got some minor social thing coming up tonight, in an hour, and the usual fear/anxiety/panic is simmering in the back of my head.

It's become a conscious choice to keep it there at a level I can easily manage, or let it flare out of control and keep me home as has been happening for years. I'm going.

 

Trying it.

Hi,

I am trying to meditate a few times a day for my S.A alongside my CBT.

I am quite hopeful it will help with the thoughts that are always in my head.

Paul

 

Mindfulness I can handle, but I have a hard time meditating because my mind races so much!

 

For those wanting to learn more about meditation and mindfulness, you may find it helpful to listen to some dharma talks. I've always found the talks at http://www.audiodharma.org/ very good. http://www.dharmaseed.org/talks/ has quite a lot of talks also. They're quite good to listen to for beginners and those experienced in meditation.

 

Guided audio CDs can help a lot for those (including me!) who have a hard time for sitting and meditating, and for beginners. I like Jon Zabat Zinn's audio CD's for meditation, especially. Also Buddhist meditation CDs such as by Pema Chodron and Jack Kornfield. There are many.
For myself, for therapeutic reasons, it helps to sit with something that bothers me most, to sort of aerate it, release the attachment to it. Sometimes it can take more than once or more for some things and only once for other things. It has helped me develop further insight, without getting too much in my head about them. Then I always focus on compassion, peace, love, joy, what I want to call the higher level states, no matter what I incorporate that into the meditation.

 

I've been making attempts at meditation for years, but I have to buckle down if I'm going to get anywhere. I do much better at it when in a group of people who are meditating. I've been told that the energy between the people makes it much easier to do things like meditation and yoga. I definitely find this to be true for yoga.

Anyway, I think meditation is super important for people with SA

 

Yes, meditation really helps, but it take time and sometimes it's too difficult to make yourself to meditate, it helps when you do it regularly. I think this method is righter but still prefer medications due to quick effect

 

I just recently signed up for a meditation class in Berkeley; its simply called "Mindfulness Meditation" that goes along with a book called "Catastrophe Living" by some PHd guy. Anyone have any thoughts? I'm nervous, meditation has always been extremely hard for me, but my mother signed up for it and so far, all of her headaches are dissapearing. It seems convincing, but has anyone been through a meditation class to give me a headsup of what to expect? My mom hasn't been much help on that part.

 

Mindfulness Meditation has given me a sense of calm and is starting to transform the way I think. It's helped me more then anything else.

I think it's also important to read the words of dharma teachers and, once you've reached a meditative state, to contemplate the sayings.

 

I don't know about other forms of meditation, but breath meditation can be very helpful. It's basically like a reset button for the mind -- you have to clear out all your thoughts. It doesn't treat SA specifically, though (also because you need to be alone in a quiet place to do this). However, it can relieve anxious thoughts by pushing them from your mind. The only problem is (especially if you're like me) that it's very difficult to stop thinking, and sometimes you just can't do it properly.

 

In my experience, meditation does help reduce SA. I have tried my hand at Vipassana Meditation and the times I practiced have been the one when I've been the most free of anxiety. Got out of the habit due to some problems and SA came back full force. I'm definitely trying to get back in the groove, meditation-wise, once again.

 

Meditation has been the one of the best things I have ever done for myself. After only a few brief sessions, I had already noticed a significant decrease in my level of anxiety. I cannot recommend it any higher. Just do it, sit down in a quiet place, and, ...just breathe. That's all it takes. Be disciplined. Every time your mind jumps to some negative thought, just focus back on breathing. This allows you to see how these thoughts form and you can learn a lot about yourself this way. It might take a while, but trust me, it is worth it. Good luck my friends

 

I enjoy meditation as well. It takes so much discipline though. I started meditating about a year ago. I started strong -- meditating daily -- but slowly tapered off and now meditate a few times a month. I think that meditation is an excellent relaxation technique that, when combined with other interventions and treatments, can really help ease anxiety. It takes persistence and patience. Change is slow. A lot of times I just feel so hopeless that I want to change so badly -- and I want it NOW. Meditation doesn't work like though. I think it's important for anyone new to meditation to understand that.

Anyway, good luck!

 

Bump. I've been slowly going through this free mindfulness meditation course at the suggestion of my psych.
http://amberstar.libsyn.com/index.php?post_category=Mindfulness Meditation Course
I'm a huge skeptic, so it's been a bit hard to get into, but a lot of it does make sense.

 

This seems pretty good thanks heaps!! just listened to "meditation course intro 1" very genuine, very keen to keep going

 

Thank you so much for posting this. I am so glad that someone resonates. I love mindful meditation myself and went to one of their free classes too at ucla.

http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=61

 

This link refers to some new research indicating that an 8 week minfulness program changes the structure of the brain for the better.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110121144007.htm

 

found this response from someone about anxiety and what helps them

"4) Another 'trick' I learned once was to name something that you are currently feeling with each of your five sense:

I see - my computer screen
I smell - the wood stove
I feel - my keyboard
I hear - my computer humming
I taste - toothpaste."