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Does Mindfulness Improve Mental Health or Is It Fluff?

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Mindfulness is currently a mental health buzzword. Some people claim that living mindfully brings instant inner peace and makes us impervious to problems. In reality, this isn’t what mindfulness is about. It can, however, make a positive difference in our lives.

Mindfulness is a way of living life and of being with yourself and others. Simplified, it involves paying attention to something in your present moment instead of thinking about the past or the future. Mindfulness can, but doesn’t have to, involve meditation. Meditation is a formal practice of concentration with a defined starting and stopping point, whereas mindfulness involves paying attention to whatever you are doing as you are going about your daily life.

Paying attention to the present moment has mental health advantages. It’s the opposite of ruminating and worrying. It can also be motivating, inspiring you to do what you can, one thing at a time. In focusing the mind and facilitating small actions, mindfulness can help people deal with difficult situations and mental health challenges.

This approach to life is not a cure-all or a quick fix, however. Being mindful doesn’t change the past or make you forget about upsetting events and emotions. Its power is greater than that. By choosing to focus on your moment itself rather than your thoughts and feelings about it, which are rooted in the past or future, you take charge of your life, again and again. This helps keep you centered so you can deal thoughtfully with the problems and challenges that arise, which is the epitome of mental health.

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Your Thoughts

Today's Question: If you practice mindfulness, in what ways has it helped your mental health? We invite you to participate by sharing your thoughts, experiences, and knowledge on the HealthyPlace Facebook page.

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From the HealthyPlace YouTube Channel

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Most Popular HealthyPlace Articles Shared by Facebook Fans

Here are the top 3 mental health articles HealthyPlace Facebook fans are recommending you read:

  1. Dissociative Identity Disorder Controversy: Is DID Real?
  2. Causes of Depression: What Causes Depression?
  3. Traumatic Events and How to Cope

If you haven't already, I hope you'll like us on Facebook too. There are a lot of wonderful, supportive people there.

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Motivational Quote

“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

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That's it for now. If you know of anyone who can benefit from this newsletter or the HealthyPlace.com site, I hope you'll pass this onto them. Please share the newsletter on any social network you belong to. For updates throughout the week, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, or follow us on Instagram.

Thank you,
Deborah

Community Partner Team
HealthyPlace.com - America's Mental Health Channel
"When you're at HealthyPlace.com, you're never alone."
http://www.healthyplace.com

APA Reference
Peterson, T. (2022, February 15). Does Mindfulness Improve Mental Health or Is It Fluff?, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, December 24 from https://www.healthyplace.com/other-info/mental-health-newsletter/does-mindfulness-improve-mental-health-or-is-it-fluff

Last Updated: February 17, 2022
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Medically reviewed by Harry Croft, MD

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