Depression and mindfulness

Originally posted by pintohoo: ↑

morning,

recent research from

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/lif...sion-study-finds/story-fnr5f5xi-1227313155084

and

http://www.theguardian.com/society/...-treatment-chronic-depression-antidepressants

It seems to me that if this is supported by more trials - it puts to bed one age old question - cause.

What came first - the egg or the chicken? Ie. depression or chemical imbalance.

To me - this strongly suggests that what is going on in your head causes the depression - and, changing what goes on in your head can avert the depression.

My guess is if you change what goes on in your head - you change the chemicals - not the reverse.

Which also brings up - what effects what you think? - that brings in a whole flurry of ideas -- starting with newspapers, TV etc. - all distortions of reality from what normally happens around most people.

Ipso facto - if you believe what you are seeing on the news - your brain forms beliefs - what are beliefs?

Beliefs are what is going on in your head -------------- interesting eh?

Looks like what is causing those beliefs is the smoking gun to me.

Pinto

"In a two-year trial with 424 depression sufferers in England, researchers found that MBCT users faced a “similar” risk of relapse to those on anti-depressants.
The method was not more effective than drugs, as many had hoped. But the findings nevertheless suggested “a new choice for the millions of people with recurrent depression on repeat prescriptions”, said study leader Willem Kuyken, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Oxford.
The study claims to be the first-ever, large-scale comparison between the efficacy of MBCT and anti-depressants.
Trial volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. Half continued taking their medication while the rest phased out the drugs in favour of MBCT.
The training involved eight group sessions of two hours and 15 minutes each, with daily home practice. Participants were given the option of four follow-up sessions over the following 12 months. All 424 volunteers were assessed for a period of two years with a diagnostic tool called the “structured clinical interview”, which measures mental state.
The MBCT group had a 44-per cent relapse rate, the researchers found, compared to 47 per cent in the group taking anti-depressants."

Expand

Depression is not a one-size-fits-all condition – we need a more nuanced approach to mental health
Sidney Bloch

A little bit more to add to this discussion.

From The Guardian today. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/20/depression-is-not-a-one-size-fits-all-condition-we-need-a-more-nuanced-approach-to-mental-health

This is such a widespread and important mental health issue, the more articles and discussions to foster understanding, and place
pressure on Governments for better resources than reflexively referring to Beyond Blue or Black Dog, and thinking they have dealt
with the issue.

Just a small snippet from my own working experience.
I worked for about 15 years as a Psychiatric nurse in two Melbourne Prisons.
One was a 'Psych' Unit in Pentridge.
Small Spirax notebook left in a cell by one bloke had written in pencil inside the front cover:

"For the crimes I have committed, I sentence myself to death"
On the surface that appears to be a bizarre and silly statement, but upon some deeper consideration, it raises
several issues. Psychotic? genuine remorse? who does he think he is?, a Judge and Jury? or GOD?
I followed this bloke up and found out he had killed himself about six months after his release from a relatively short sentence.
Whatever his crime was, or what he was sentenced for I cannot remember, and I consider it irrelevant to this discussion.