Coping with Anxiety: The Benefits of Mindfulness for Anxiety

Everyone understands the importance of living in the moment. However, living in the moment can be difficult when you have an anxiety disorder. After all, living with an anxiety disorder is exhausting. One is almost constantly consumed by fears of the future or worries about what might go wrong. It takes you out of the present moment, draining your energy day after day.

Fortunately, by integrating practices such as mindfulness for anxiety alongside conventional treatment methods, you can effectively address and conquer your most distressing anxiety disorder symptoms. So what are the benefits of mindfulness?

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness refers to the state of being aware of and living in the present moment without judgment. Medical research experts have defined mindfulness as the “moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment.”1 Mindfulness involves being fully aware of your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and surrounding environment.

Of course, developing mindfulness requires intentional practice and takes time to strengthen. You’ve likely heard of at least a few things you can incorporate into your life to develop mindfulness, including:

• Mindfulness meditation
• Focused breathing
• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Journaling

Benefits of Mindfulness for Anxiety

Detaching from the future and the past in order to live in the moment is especially difficult if you have an anxiety disorder. However, it’s more important to incorporate mindfulness practices to help you cultivate a more positive state of mind. Research suggests that developing mindfulness for anxiety is one of the best ways a person can manage their symptoms and improve their mental health.2

What are some of the benefits of mindfulness for anxiety?1

• Stress reduction. Many studies suggest that developing mindfulness reduces stress, decreases anxiety, and increases positive affect.

• Emotional regulation. Mindfulness can help you regulate your emotions and reduce your emotional reactivity.

• Reduced rumination. Rumination is a common aspect of most anxiety disorders. Living in the moment keeps your mind from ruminating

• Increased self-awareness. Learning to live in the moment and identify what’s happening in your body increases your self-awareness.

• Enhanced coping skills. The more you live in the moment, the stronger your ability to cope with difficult situations.

• Improved focus and concentration. Practicing mindfulness requires you to focus on what’s going on around you, which improves focus and concentration.

• Better sleep. Spending less time ruminating throughout the day allows you to sleep better at night.

These are just a few of the benefits of mindfulness for anxiety. Practicing anxiety meditation and other mindfulness techniques will strengthen your resilience, reduce symptoms, and improve your overall quality of life.

Anxiety Meditation and Mental Health Treatment

While mindfulness may be enough for some people, it is even more effective when used alongside traditional mental health treatment approaches. Mindfulness will reduce your symptoms, but it will not eliminate your anxiety disorder altogether. Seeking help from a mental health professional or specialized mental health treatment facility lays a solid foundation that you can build upon with mindfulness practices and other beneficial modalities.3

If you’d like to find out more about mental health treatment for anxiety, Clearview Treatment Programs can help. We are a leader in comprehensive mental health treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Call us at 310-455-5258 or submit an online contact form to find the program that’s right for you today.

References

1. Monitor on Psychology. (2012). What are the benefits of mindfulness.
2. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression.
3. 3. National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Anxiety Disorders.