What Is Mindfulness And Mental Stress?

721 Words2 Pages

Mindfulness can be conceptualized as a feature of self-regulation, which is defined as “an awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003, p. 145). The original concept of mindfulness is based on the Buddhist teaching, Vipassana meditation (Anapasathi Bawana). In Buddhist teaching, mindfulness is deliberated as a mental state of awareness about the present moment, with an attitude of lack of judgment. According to Tanay & Bernstein (2013) mindfulness is an important mental state that includes various qualities such as awareness, compassion, careful attention to the present moment, and familiarity to one’s subjective experience. …show more content…

Researches carried out with a sample of undergraduate students have explored a negative correlation between mindfulness and mental distress (Bowlin & Baer, 2012; Kiken & Shook, 2012). Stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms are commonly stated experiences among university students (Sreernamareddy, Shankar , Binu, Mukhipadhyay, Ray, & Menezes , 2007) Stressors may result in anxiety, depression and poor sleep quality (Lemma, Gelaye, Berhane, Worku, & Williams , 2012) poor academic performance (Stewart, Lam, Betson, Wong, & Wong , 1999) alcohol and substance abuse, reduced life satisfaction and quality of life (Said, Kypri, & Bowman, 2013; Adlaf, Demers, & Gliksman , 2005). Literature shows a significant increase in major psychological problems such as stress, depression, anxiety, and panic disorder among collage students (Dyson & Renk, 2006). Research has found a positive correlation between emotional capability and psychological health (Schonert-Reichl & Lawlor 2010) and benefits in mental and physical health conditions (Germer & Siegel, 2012). A study carried out with nursing professionals suggest that mindfulness can be an successful and low-cost way to reduce symptoms of stress and burnout and improve quality of life (Cohen-Katz, Wiley, Capuano, Baker , & Shapiro,

More about What Is Mindfulness And Mental Stress?

Open Document