Mindfulness or Compassion for Mental Health
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) are among the most widely used mindfulness-based treatments for depression, anxiety, and stress. The two may be similarly effective, finds a new study from the Mindfulness Institute in Reykjavik, Iceland. At a residential rehabilitation and health clinic, 58 adults were assigned to either a MBCT group, a CFT group, or a group receiving no mindfulness-based treatment. MBCT and CFT attendees were offered eight two-hour sessions over four weeks. Before starting, everyone completed a questionnaire about their experiences of depression, anxiety, and stress, and rated their levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, and rumination. At the end of four weeks, MBCT and CFT participants reported less depression, anxiety, stress, and rumination, and more mindfulness and self-compassion, while control group members reported no change. They also found that MBCT members who ruminated more before treatment showed the biggest increase in mindfulness, but CFT parrticipants were more mindful regardless of how much they’d ruminated before. This suggests people who tend to get stuck in their thoughts may be better served by programs that include compassion training.
Like Breath, Like Brain?
Focusing on the timing and pace of breath may help direct attention and boost mood, says a new study in the Journal of Neurophysiology. Scientists at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research studied the brain’s responses to breathing exercises. Six adults already undergoing EEG monitoring (in which electrodes placed directly onto the brain record electrical activity) performed three tasks: They followed a pattern of normally paced, then faster-paced breathing, cycling between paces eight times. Next, they counted inhales and exhales for short intervals, then reported how many breaths they’d taken. Lastly, they did a focusing task while their breath cycle was monitored. The different breathing styles activated not just the brain stem, or “breathing center,” but also brain regions linked to emotion, attention, and body awareness. Quick breathing stimulated the amygdala, suggesting that rapid breathing may trigger anxiety, anger, or fear. This raises the possibility that targeted breathing strategies may help people to manage thoughts, moods, and experiences.
