I attended a webinar on Mindfulness last month (October being a Mental Health month) and would like to share here what I gained from the short session (I had attended one similar programme before). The session was conducted by Ms Evelyn Soong, a Clinical Psychologist.
She started off by sharing that
we can become our own therapist by:
1. Knowing how our body works -
physiological and psychological changes
2. Understanding mindfulness
3. Applying S.T.O.P. strategy
Flight-Fight-Freeze (FFF)
Response is a self-protection and survival mechanism.
Physiological
When FFF is activated, breathing
starts to slow down, heart rate and blood pressure increase. Blood flows to
major muscle groups and sensory becomes sharper. Mouth goes dry, and you may
start to sweat or have tremors.
Psychological
Negative thoughts, tunnel
vision, anxious and scared, hypersensitive, restless.
Effects of Chronic Stress
Physical: increased risks of:
1. Gastrointestinal problems
e.g. loss of appetite
2. Cardiovascular diseases because
the heart beats faster than normal
3. Skin problems e.g. acne,
pimples
4. Reproductive problems -
difficulty conceiving, premature ejaculation
Psychological
Possible effects:
1. Cognitive: can’t concentrate,
memory problems
2. Emotional: irritable, moody,
lonely, unhappy
3. Behaviour: affects eating and
sleeping habits, withdraw from others
Mindfulness: awareness that
arises from paying attention on purpose in the present moment and
non-judgementally. Being aware of what you’re feeling, of your surroundings and
what is happening, for example stopping back at a zebra crossing and looking at
traffic and watching others non-judgementally. Being mindful means being fully
present for the moment, paying attention to self, sensations, thoughts, what
you see around you, and not overly reacting to the situation.
How being mindful is beneficial:
1. Reduced activation of
amygdala
2. Changes in brain reaction,
better emotional regulation, reduced anxiety and aggression
Mindfulness helps calms one
down, improves concentration, reduces rumination, improves communication in
relationships, enhances body immunity
S.T.O.P. strategy
Stop what you’re doing and
putting things down for a while
Taking deep breaths, you can
also extend it to a few minutes
Observe your experience, bodily
sensations, thoughts, feelings, senses
Proceed to what you were doing
earlier or something that makes you feel supported.
I hope you will gain some benefits from the above and start applying the techniques.
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