mindfulness scientific evidence

[piedwagtail91]

Pleeeeeease can we get like buttons on the forum?

i've thought hat for a long time!!

[Gareth]

I think there might be a mod to do this. When I get time to do it, i'll do it.

[JonW]

Free chocolate buttons? Include me in.
Thanks in advance,
JW

[JonW]

There are a million and one reasons to try mindfulness. But one can also find a million and one reasons not to investigate it. If someone is looking for cast-iron scientific evidence to prove that mindfulness will be beneficial to them, as an individual, they'll always be looking, they'll never get started.
Just do it. With a whole heart. That's all.

[piedwagtail91]

where's the like button;-)
spot on.

[JonW]

Was that post in response to the idea of free chocolate buttons?

[scratchet]

The recent article that van veen has posted is very interesting. It is not necessarily saying that meditation doesn't "work". It says that there isn't any valid scientific evidence, and secondly, that in some cases mindfulness can have some bad side effects (as some posts on this forum will prove).

Someone summed it up well in the comments at the end of the article.

[quote][/quote]
Medicine [meditation] can be very helpful, but we need to adjust the dosage for different types of people. Research can help us figure out how to adjust dosage.

[JonW]

Hi Scratchet,
Firstly, it would be just as easy to find online articles that provide plenty of scientific evidence. I provided a few links myself in early posts.
Secondly, nobody here is saying that mindfulness is for everybody. On this forum we have been very careful to gently guide somebody in the direction of, say, a GP when it's been clear that mindfulness is not working for them or when they have encountered difficulties with the practice. None of us on the forum claim to experts. When we are asked a question that requires a trained/expert response, we will not hesitate to say so.
The truth is that nobody will find out whether mindfulness is for them until they try it. Some people find that they can be taught simply with the help of a book. Others find they need to be taught in a group situation with a qualified teacher. Others might require 1-2-1 tuition. Others might find they need to practice it in conjunction with therapy, anti-depressants etc. It's impossible to generalise as individuals are just that - individual.
I will say this: I think it unlikely that anyone would reap the benefits of mindfulness if their teaching amounted to watching a few YouTube videos and their practice amounted to sitting on the sofa occasionally and closing their eyes. It does require a certain amount of structured learning along with a whole-hearted commitment to regular practice. As Jon Kabat-Zinn says, "it's simple but it's not easy." The simple part is grasping the concepts, which a small child could understand. The not-easy part is maintaining a practice.
As someone whose life has been transformed by mindfulness, I'm not really interested in entering a debate about whether there's sufficient scientific evidence to show that mindfulness can be beneficial. It's changed my life, beyond all measure. Personally, I don't require any further proof. Having said that, I do believe there's enough scientific proof out there should anyone need it and be prepared to check it out. Anyone who convinces themselves there is insufficient proof presumably has their own agenda. If that prevents them from exploring further, that's a shame in my view.
Cheers,
Jon, Hove

[piedwagtail91]

Was that post in response to the idea of free chocolate buttons?

as long as they're white chocolate

[piedwagtail91]

i'm with everything jon says, can't add anything.
sums my views up perfectly.
suppose white chocolate buttons could do with a mention