Mindfulness cbt? What is it?

[orangeandlemons]

It has been suggested that I might benefit from this.

I have had 2 courses of failed CBT, and this has been mooted as the next thing. What is it, and does it work?

I will have to set aside 1/2 hour for meditation a day . This is the NHS btw

[notnowbernard]

Trying to stay 'in the moment' for a bit

It's a bit of a grounding strategy

[WithanAnotE]

Mindfulness is a bit like looking at the world as though you were a toddler - with awe as though everything is anew.
We are all so busy that it is easy to ignore what is going on around us.

A key element is staying in the present.
"The past is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift! That is why it is called the Present."
Why? Because often focusing on our past or worrying about the future ruins today.

The basic concept (for me anyway) is to give myself permission to only think about today and think about what I am doing (I.e, mindfulness not mindlessness).

I find my future really stresses me out - this way I get some headroom and breathing space to come up for air.

It does take a bit of effort and I did feel a bit of a muppet trying out some of the ideas, but then I have lost the plot before and now I don't care so long as it works for me grin]!

Happy to discuss further.

[bassetfeet]

With you nailed it completely as it is . Couldnt explain as well as you
It works for me . So meet another muppet who tried and tried and found some help with this concept to navigate life with anxiety and depression .
Jon Kabat Zinn is excellent start in my opinion .on you tube as well as books .

[WithanAnotE]

Thanks for the positive stroke bassetfeet .
Andy Puddicombe is also very good (a Brit).
Again, you can check him out on you tube etc. to see if he 'works' for you.
(I have his Headspace app, which offers a free trial.)

[marylou123]

I've been doing mindfulness meditation for 5 months to deal with my anxiety. I had a lot of "what if" questions which were impossible to answer. Mindfulness makes me realise that I am not my thoughts, I am separate from them and am able to watch them come and go. Thoughts are impermanent. Meditation has helped me to observe my anxious thoughts for what they really are - just thoughts. They then seem to lose their importance and urgency and are unable to take over my day.

I recommend the book "The Mindful Way Through Depression" as a good starting point.

I also think this is a good explanation of living mindfully (ignore religious references if you're not religious - I'm not, but still think it explains it well). www.thestationessay.com/

[awaywego1]

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (mbct) is now a NICE recommended treatment for relapsing depression.
It's very different to traditional CBT, much more about noticing preset experiences, thoughts, feelings sensation rather than changing them. I'd second the mindful way through depression, or the happiness trap by russ Harris-which is based on acceptance and commitment therapy which includes mindfulness.
Good luck-it's not easy (atall!) but useful-I've had experience on both sides being a 'client' and a 'professional'

[thunksheadontable]

It is the only thing that ever worked or made any sense to me.

[orangeandlemons]

Well have been booked on the course, just waiting for a start day. I suffer terribly with projecting things into the future, terribly, I always live months in the future with lot's of what ifs

Thanks for all replies, cbt has never worked for me, so fingers crossed for this

[working9while5]

How have you got on?