What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is paying attention to your present while observing your emotions with a nonjudgmental stance. When you practice mindfulness, you focus on your experiences and become productive at the same time.
Imagine arriving at work but not remembering the car ride till there. You didn't have to think much about the order of your actions like, "first, I open the car door, and then I insert my key in the ignition, etc." You automatically performed those actions and found yourself at work. This phenomenon is called being in a state of autopilot when you do things out of habit, mindlessly. Mindfulness is just the opposite of being on autopilot, where you observe and label different thoughts and manage difficult emotions without being self-critical.
Doing things on autopilot can be useful at times as it saves a lot of time and energy. Problems arise when you live most of your life on autopilot without being mindful of your regular activities.
History of Mindfulness
The roots of mindfulness lie in Buddhist teachings that manifest the journey towards enlightenment, and the concept of "sati" - which involves being aware, attentive, and present. The term "mindfulness" was coined through translation from an ancient language called Pali. The emergence of mindfulness in Western Culture can be traced back to the theories of Kabat-Zinn. Kabat-Zinn acquired the knowledge of mindfulness from several Buddhist teachers like Philip Kapleau and Thich Nhat Hanh. In the late 1970s, Kabat-Zinn inculcated his mindfulness theories among his pupils at University of Massachusetts Medical School. As he developed the program of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for treating chronic pain, his research showed that patients would often try to ride out their pain, but it would only lead to more profound distress. Hence, he concluded that mindfulness was a successful approach to deal with these experiences.
As mindfulness was integrated with science and medicine, it became a powerful psychodynamic technique based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Understanding Mindfulness Skills in DBT
Mindfulness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a fundamental skill that is intrinsic to all other skill-sets. It is the first skill taught in DBT because without adding this to your practice toolbox, you cannot change long-standing behavioral problems.
Mindfulness is significant in regulating emotions, analyzing situations without judging them, and resolving interpersonal conflicts calmly. It also helps in getting touch with your Wise Mind - the synthesis of emotional mind and rational thoughts. Learning how to be mindful isn't complicated, but it's a commitment to oneself by saying "Yes" to yourself to focus on the present without past rumination or future anticipation.
How to Practice Mindfulness?
Emotions are natural. Everyone experiences them, but the magical skill of acknowledging and accepting them is what makes a person unique. Our experiences are typically relative, and they are highly influenced by our emotional state. Insecurities from the past or worries of the future make it difficult for us to focus on the present and live the moment. The key ingredient to solve this problem is learning how to pay attention. According to the DBT approach of treatment, emotions need to be felt without any attempt of judgment or suppression. To cultivate awareness and navigate underlying emotions that trigger mindless eating or other problematic behaviors, diaphragmatic breathing and morning meditation is exceedingly useful. Diaphragmatic breathing is the process of taking deep breaths to control the heartbeat rate and lower down stress levels efficiently. Focus on each breath of yours, and experience the feeling of every moment attentively - sound, temperature, scent, and physical sensations.
Begin to access your distress thoughts and allow them to exist without judging or attributing negativity to it. The result may evoke strong emotional reactions, but an attempt to explore it will ascribe confidence to address and resolve inner challenges.
Benefits of Mindfulness
Research shows that mindfulness has significantly helped in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and anger issues. Mindfulness is a powerful skill that alleviates pain and improves the quality of life. However, inconsistency in practicing mindfulness and deviating from its ideal way of application can make it difficult to reap benefits from. Mindfulness encompasses awareness and acceptance of feelings, thereby allowing people to cope with emotional vulnerability and regain control. Mindfulness has often proved to have benefited problematic relationships and instilled feelings of happiness and satisfaction among people. The critical skills of being present, attentive, and fostering self-compassion through acceptance have allowed them to break difficult habits like overeating, overworking, and so on while replacing them with healthy attributes.
Conclusion
Mindfulness skills require practice, and with time they can become your most handy tool-set for treating dysfunctional behaviors. Start with basic DBT skills with the help of DBT Coach App, a comprehensive DBT App, and work your way up to mastering mindfulness effectively.
