Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
"At least 1000 research studies on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are in print in peer-reviewed journals, showing it can reduce chronic pain, high blood pressure, serum cholesterol levels, and blood cortisol, and alleviates depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders.
MBSR can also change the way emotions are regulated in the prefrontal cortex and alter the immune response to an influenza vaccine."
from The Power of Paying Attention: What Jon Kabat-Zinn Has Against "Spirituality"in Psychotherapy Networker (Nov/Dec 2004)
Current research information is available from the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
There are journal articles summarizing the efficacy and research in the following areas of application and integration of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and physical and mental health diagnosis. In general the findings include:
- Reduction in suffering
- Increased health and well-being
- Decreased symptomology
- Decreases medication use
- Decreases treatment cost
- Increases treatment retention and relapse rate
- Increased immune function
- Decreased blood pressure, heart rate, cardiovascular disease and hospitalization
People also report feeling and being less reactive, more satisfied with their lives and less judgmental of themselves and others.
"When we stop running away from what presents itself in each moment, our loving care for ourselves and one another can flow unimpeded."
-Jack Kornfield
Studies have been completed on the efficacy of MBSR and the following:
- ADD-ADHD
- PTSD
- Grief
- Anxiety
- Depression and depression relapse
- Substance abuse and addiction relapse
- Dissociative behaviors
- Eating disorders
- Anger
- Obsessive compulsiveness
- Panic attacks
- Stress, either acute or chronic
- Psoriasis
- Infertility
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic pain
- Chronic disease
- Care givers
- Terminal diagnosis
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
