Mindfulness
Mindfulness, relaxation and meditation are increasingly popular techniques used to gain greater control over the brain. Mindfulness has many positive benefits for people with MS and can help manage the effects of stress and daily life.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the art of ‘being present’ or in the moment. It combines attention, body awareness and emotional regulation to help create a different perspective of oneself. Mindfulness is just one form of mediation, with other styles based on the breath, a mantra, or on readings or prayer. Learning mindfulness skills and techniques lead to greater control over what the mind is doing and can help you regulate your attention and emotions and calm your conscious mind.
Benefits of mindfulness
For people with MS, mindfulness has been shown to have the following benefits:
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved concentration and focus
- Reduced depression
- Increased neuroplasticity
- Pain management
- Increased self-compassion
- Increased coping skills
- Increase self-acceptance
The benefits of mindfulness are increasingly supported by science, as more research and studies are undertaken. A research study* was undertaken by MS Queensland and the University of Queensland in 2016 where people with MS participated in a brief community-based mindfulness program. The results of the study showed that participation in the program was associated with decreases in distress and perceived stress, and increases in self-compassion, acceptance, coping skills and mindfulness.
*Source: Evaluation of a brief community-based mindfulness intervention for people with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study. Elizabeth Spitzer and Kenneth I Pakenham 2016
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