MindfulnessforStressManagementWellness.pdfVIP

Mindfulness for Stress Management Wellness Carl Fulwiler, MD, PhD Center for Mental Health Services Research Department of Psychiatry UMass Medical School carl.fulwiler@umassmed.edu Worcester State Hospital 3-28-12 The body’s response to stress • Amygdala is the fight or flight center • Activation triggers cascade of neural, neuroendocrine, neuroimmune and behavioral responses • Chronic or repeated activation of the stress response leads to health problems, premature mortality, and reduced quality of life The mind’s response to stress • Problem-solving, “fix it” • Avoidance and aversion • Rumination  depression • Worry  anxiety • Often makes the problem worse What is mindfulness? “The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment to moment.” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003) The mindful approach to stress • Being with experience without trying to change it • Bringing curiosity and compassion to our experience – approaching difficulty rather than avoiding it • With practice it is possible to become less reactive to experience, giving us the freedom to choose how to respond How is mindfulness different from relaxation techniques? • The intention with relaxation is to produce a special state • The intention with mindfulness is to be fully present with experience, good or bad, as it is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) • Stress reduction clinic at Umass founded in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn • 8 weekly 2 ½ hour classes and a single 7 hour retreat • Classroom format with guided practice and group discus