In Buddhist thought, change and impermanence are fundamental to existence, and suffering arises from ignorance of this reality. Awareness of impermanence leads to enlightenment and happiness. The rapidity of change creates illusions of solidity, continuity, self, and ego, mixing the real with the unreal; in truth, only processes exist. Intellectual understanding alone is insufficient; experiential understanding through expanded consciousness, attention, and training in attitudes like kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity is required. Appreciating change is central to the Buddhist path, benefiting both long-term (enlightenment and freedom from rebirth) and short-term (making living and dying enjoyable).
Mindfulness plays a crucial role in addressing anorexia nervosa (AN), particularly among adolescents. In a study involving 76 participants—20 girls in the acute phase of AN, 16 in remission, and 40 controls—mindfulness was found to be lowest in the acute group. Body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of disordered eating across all groups. Notably, emotion regulation difficulties correlated with depression and anxiety in acute AN, suggesting that mindfulness interventions could effectively support emotion regulation and perfectionism both during and after treatment.
Teenagers aged 13–19 who practiced yoga or meditation showed significantly better positive affect, global health, and cognitive health compared to peers who did neither. The study of 425 Indian adolescents found no significant improvement in psychological stress or sleep problems. Lifestyle choices also appeared better among those who practiced yoga or meditation.
A 12-week online self-reflective meditation program (True Self Meditation) for youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) did not significantly improve externalizing or internalizing behavioral problems compared to a wait-list control group. However, the meditation group showed a significant and lasting reduction in trait anxiety. Within the meditation group, additional improvements appeared in self-reported internalizing problems and fewer commission errors on a continuous performance test, accompanied by slower response times, indicating more deliberate responding. The program may serve as a complementary intervention for anxiety-related difficulties in youth with ADHD, but larger controlled trials are needed.