Mindfulness is defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” Many people practice mindfulness to reduce stress, but it has also been shown to reduce rumination, stress, and emotional reactivity. On the other side, mindfulness has been been linked to boosting memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility while aiding in relationships (Davis and Hayes, 2012). This state of thought is useful not only for people already anxious, but also for those preparing to enter more stressful situations. Practicing mindfulness earlier on can help with finding coping mechanisms before one is put in a stressful …show more content…
This message would be played for a minute at the end of the announcements in the morning. Having this program school-wide will help everyone focus a little more on mental health and may assist in reducing the negative stigma around it. Being lectured about the importance of treating mental health is one thing, but it is a different story when someone personally has to overcome the social stigma that surrounds it. In Baltimore, Maryland Patterson Park High School recently started taking a fifteen-minute mindful moment at the beginning of the day. This moment focuses on breathing exercises and meditation. By utilizing this program, the school saw a decrease in suspensions from fighting, and an increase in attendance rates, promotion rates to the next grade, and average GPA (???, ??). The school also implemented a Mindful Moment Room, where students would be referred to if the teachers noticed them getting into conflict or were emotionally distressed in the classroom. These students have become more knowledgeable in practicing being mindful to the point where they “can easily apply these practices when asked to do so during the day” (??, …show more content…
Teaching high school students methods for mindfulness provides them with tools that they can use throughout college. This age group has a lot to benefit from this product as it can help reduce stress and anxiety, therefore decreasing the risk of developing a mental illness later on. The aspects of this method can be explained using the Health Belief Model. The perceived susceptibility is evident through the numerous statistics that have been stated about the amount of stress and mental illness that people experience. About 9.8 million adults in the United States experience a mental illness that is debilitating enough to interfere with major life activities (NAMI, 2017). The severity of these mental disorders include major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and more. A risk factor for most psychological disorders include extreme stress or trauma early on in life. Because of this risk, the benefits of using the mindful minute are numerous. Students have a chance to experience meditation and discuss mental health with teachers if they have a concern. Practicing mindfulness helps control the stress and emotional regulation that can reach extremes in mental disorders. Unfortunately, a big barrier to
[3, 4] However, regardless the availability and accessibility of resources, many students feel discouraged towards accessing these services due to fear of adverse consequences, which may eventually have a huge negative impact on their future. [1, 5] Aside from the issue of availability and accessibility of services, another challenge is the lack of community awareness that adds to the threat against the mental health status of many students. [6] To add to the concern, most of the states in USA have scored poorly in the mental health report i.e. out of all 51 states, a total of 45 states scored either a C, D or F, but none scored an A.
I think we should really value the mental health of our children in the society if we want to develop this great Nation. The psychological well-being of our children affects us both directly and indirectly whether we accept this fact or not. It is very important that we ensure that our beloved children have the capabilities to adapt to the stresses, working productively both in school and also contribute to the developments in the community. Problems associated with mental illness or health are very common in this society especially in the institutions of learning be it high schools, colleges or even universities. Some health problems associated with mental health include depressions, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders and at time schizophrenia. It is therefore of vital importance to encourage and promote the improvement of mental health among our children.
Mindfulness helps us achieve a balance between the two. For example, many of us develop stress because of things that may have gone wrong in the past OR we may develop stress because we are unsure about the future or if there is something expected to happen in our future that we are not looking forward to or are not comfortable thinking about. What mindfulness does is that it allows us to reduce our stress and anxiety related to issues in our past or anticipated issues in our future. It helps us recognize that it is the present - the now - that is actually more important. If we fail to pay attention to our now, our life can spin out of control making our future even more complicated and our past efforts completely
Mindfulness is a skill that takes time to develop. It requires a certain level of effort, time, patience, and ongoing practice like any other skill. Mindfulness is taught in a number of ways. Meditation is one of the key techniques used in
Mindfulness is used as a therapy to treat many problems related to mental health such as stress, anxiety or even eating disorders (Hooker and Fodor, 2008). In addition majority of techniques used in mindfulness originate from Buddhist traditions (Rosenberg, 1998, Cited in Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert, 2008). Professionals working with children in mental health settings may find mindfulness applicable. The different techniques used in these types of settings teach self-awareness, increased impulse control and decreased emotional reactivity to difficult events (Thompson and Gauntlett-Gilbert). Research conducted on adults has shown that these effects can be obtained in the long term which suggests that mindfulness can be applied to children who are going through developmental challenges and have still yet to encounter
When people speak before thinking or even listening to what is being said, the breakdown of communication can happen rapidly. Poor listening habits can negatively affect business and personal relationships. Here is a situation where poor listening habits and poor thinking skills had a negative impact and hindered the communications between a leader of a Family Readiness Group (FRG) and the FRG members.
There are different ways to think about mindfulness. Sometimes, you want to be mindful of time moving forward so you are not late for an appointment, or so a project such
When mindfulness is thought of, mediation comes to mind. However, meditation is not the only way mindfulness is used. Mindfulness practices may have originated from Buddhism, yet mindfulness interventions are based on the philosophy that promotes positive outcomes for mental and physical health (Hardison & Roll, 2016). It is also defined at a state of
Mindfulness is an ideal that has been present for thousands of years (positivepsychologyprogram.com). It has roots in almost every major religion: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and most renown, Buddhism and Hinduism (positivepsychologyprogram.com). Psychology Today defines mindfulness as “a state of active, open attention on the present.” Dr. Shauna Shapiro during a TEDx Talk defines mindfulness as “intentionally paying attention with kindness” (Shapiro, S., 2017). Mindfulness has many principles involved with it, but the short version is to be aware. It is to be aware of the present moment deliberately. Jon Kabat-Zinn, considered the father of the western movement for mindfulness by some, defines mindfulness as, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Bodhipaksa, 2007). We, as humans, get caught up in the business of life; so, we need to stay oriented to the present. Another way to describe this is “acting with awareness rather than on ‘automatic autopilot’” (Caldwell, et al, 2010). Mindfulness is non-judgmental about life. Mindfulness is to not be over-reactive by what’s going on around us (mindful.org). Mindfulness is being non-reactive to your environment. There are many things that stem from this thinking,
Illness. When most people hear that word, they think Cancer, Diabetes, AIDs, Ebola, or the Black Plague. The epitome of a sick person is tired, grey, and laying in bed. Now, imagine an ill person walking down the hall, sitting in class, or eating in the school cafeteria. Is it strange? This is no alternate reality. The term “illness” addresses both the physical and mental condition of a person. 20% of American teens are affected by some type of mental disorder that affects their capability to function (“Mental Health By The Numbers” 1). High schools are constantly searching for ways to improve this percentage, actions ranging from adding counselors to decreasing class size to delaying the bell schedule. One solution, known by many different names but unchanged in concept, is allowing students to take mental health days.
To begin with, mindfulness is when someone can pay attention to the present moment “without being devoted to different points of view” (Martin, 1997). Along with staying focused on the present moment, mindfulness is when the particular person does not judge the current experience as the person tries to comprehend the present situation. Mindfulness makes a person reflect on one’s self by not only figuring out one’s thoughts, but also the feelings that go along with it. The complex nature of mindfulness demonstrates that it has multiple purposes that cultivates a person into realizing the potential of the brain (Davis & Hayes,
Mindfulness involves accepting our thoughts and emotions without judgment, and without believing that there is a right or wrong way to feel in a given situation. Our thoughts and emotions are not labeled as good or bad. They are observed as simply happening until they pass. While practicing mindfulness one does not rehash the past or imagine the future. Attention is focused on what is being sensed in the present moment. There is a sense of self apart from things. Mindfulness is moment to moment awareness and purposefully placing attention on things that we wouldn’t normally give a second thought to. Mindfulness can be thought of as a way of being, rather than an activity. It is the awareness of wondering thoughts and purposefully directing them back, rather than letting them
Specific speech purpose: To persuade the class that emotional/mental health is important, and is in fact even more important than their physical health.
Mental Health has a big role in one’s overall health. Mental health not only affects the mind but also the body. The mind and the body work as one. When many stresses in life impact a person, they can either choose to deal with it positively or negatively. Dealing with stress negatively would to choose to depend on drugs and alcohol to make the stress go away. However using drugs and alcohol only create an illusion of relief. It does not improve mental health but instead cumulate negativity in the mind. Dealing with stress positively would be to incorporate physical activity. Physical activity is a great way to improve the body physically and mentally. Physical activity has many benefits to all age groups. For adolescents and children, it can improve emotionally distress, body image and increase self-esteem (G. Kalra, 2012). Self-identification is one of the major obstacles for adolescents (S. McLeod, 2008). Adolescents are very much influenced by their peer and society. Yoga can help improve this because it improves spirituality; being one with yourself, which helps them prioritize their life and see the importance of themselves (G. Kalra,
Self-awareness is not about reading a book or attending a course. Self-awareness is a journey, and it takes practice. It’s like a muscle that becomes more effective with time and effort. It gives us mental strength as opposed to physical strength. We are constantly changing and adapting to the multiple external forces around us and to our individual experiences. The more we learn to be aware of, and understand, our reactions, thoughts, and emotions, while also keeping in mind our values, the more we can become the best we can be and the more successful we can become.