Mental Illness through the Lens of Mindfulness
Patricia Lynn Dobkin, Kaveh Monshat
The Oxford Handbook of Meditation December 15, 2020 DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198808640.013.33 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that the biopsychosocial paradigm and modern Buddhist mindfulness spirituality can be complementary rather than opposing, both contributing to understanding the self and emotion regulation. Proposes a 'middle way' between Buddhist and psychological views of suffering, illustrated through clinical narratives of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis, while cautioning that mindfulness meditation is not a panacea and may be contraindicated or need modification for some patients. |
Abstract
Abstract: The intention of this chapter is to re-envision mental illness within a paradigm that unites the biopsychosocial paradigm with a modern Buddhist spirituality, particularly associated with mindfulness. Emotion regulation, a balanced relationship with one’s self-concept, and social connection are usually regarded as essential components of well-being within both systems of thought. Western psychology and mindfulness practice have, at times, been seen to have fundamentally opposing aims: one to strengthen the self and the other to arrive at “no-self” or “emptiness.” This chapter purports that the two approaches may overlap and can be complementary both in their contribution to understanding the self and the regulation of emotions. Clinical narratives of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis are included to exemplify the application of a whole-person outlook to understand mental illness. While an orientation to well-being through a mindfulness perspective may be generally helpful, mindfulness meditation is not a panacea: for some patients, it may be contraindicated, applied in a modified format, or used alongside medication and/or psychotherapy. This chapter presents a “middle way” between the views of suffering that informs mindfulness practice and that which is drawn from psychology and psychiatry.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Does rumination mediate the relationship between mindfulness and depressive relapse? Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice June 27, 2015
- Who experiences depressive symptoms following mindfulness-based stress reduction and why? International Journal of Whole Person Care January 27, 2017
- Mindfulness- and Acceptance-based Interventions for Psychosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Global Advances in Health and Medicine 2016
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy vs. psycho-education for patients with major depression who did not achieve remission following antidepressant treatment. Psychiatry Research April 30, 2015
and 1 more in the library