The Mindful Way through Depression

Spring has officially arrived. The days are getting longer and warmer. Spring flowers are in bloom, leaves are appearing on the trees, and we are all looking forward to summer… Well, some of us are, but what if you are not feeling full of the joys of spring right now? What if you feel like you'd rather remain in hibernation? I am in awe at how resilient we can be, but statistics show that one in ten people in the UK experience some form of depression during their lifetime.
In looking for new ways to support those with depression, recent research carried out by the Sussex Partnership Mental Health Trust, showed that clinician supported mindfulness-based cognitive therapy led to a 17.5% improvement in recovery from mild to moderate depression compared with clinician supported cognitive-based therapy alone. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is a form of cognitive therapy that incorporates mindfulness practices. Mindfulness involves maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our surrounding environment, our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. However, you don’t have to be suffering from depression to learn how to practice mindfulness. In fact, if practised regularly, it can prove to be a powerful resource, when dealing with stress, life challenges, and difficult emotions.
If you are curious to learn more about mindfulness and how it can help with depression I highly recommend ‘The Mindful Way Through Depression’ written by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn. The authors are a collaboration of highly respected and experienced psychologists and mindfulness teachers. The book shows how we can become more aware of ourselves and our mental habits such as rumination and self-blame that can lead to despondency and despair.
In recommending this book my hope is that it may be helpful to you as just one element of your journey towards better mental health. It is not intended as a replacement for professional treatment. If you have a concern about depression, please contact your G.P. and reach out to family members, friends or professional helplines.