Mindfulness Practice in Recovery From Bipolar Disorder: Qualitative Study Results and Humanistic Implications

Sasha D. Strong

doi:10.1177/00221678231168667

Mindfulness Practice in Recovery From Bipolar Disorder: Qualitative Study Results and Humanistic Implications

Sasha D. Strong

Journal of Humanistic Psychology May 9, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/00221678231168667 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size	9
Population	Adults with bipolar disorder discussing their recovery experiences
Intervention	Buddhist-informed mindfulness practice
Topics	Meditation
Citations	2
Key findings	The authors suggest that Buddhist-informed mindfulness practice may contribute uniquely to recovery in bipolar disorder, helping participants build resilience, regulate emotions, reduce reactivity, gain cognitive clarity, and form new, more helpful meanings about their condition; participants also described adverse experiences.

Abstract

Psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder (BD) enhance outcomes. However, more than half of those who receive psychosocial treatment experience residual depression. Mindfulness practice demonstrates benefits for numerous psychological problems, but little research has examined mindfulness-based interventions developed specifically for BD. A qualitative study was conducted to inform a new mindfulness-based treatment approach for BD and report the effects of mindfulness practice. In 2018 and 2019, nine adults were interviewed about their experiences recovering from BD. All respondents used Buddhist-informed mindfulness practice in their recoveries. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and four top-level themes emerged: building the capacity for health , emotional regulation , shifts in experiential perspective , and adverse experiences . There were also several sub-themes, including cultivating resilience, emotional self-awareness, emotional freedom and reduced reactivity , and cognitive clarity . These findings suggest that mindfulness practice may have unique contributions to make in recovery in BD. Mindfulness and Buddhist frameworks appeared to help participants make new, more helpful meanings about BD. These findings align with humanistic and transpersonal values. A future approach informed by these results could address whole-person concerns in recovery. Such an approach could promote recovery and help individuals work with the experience of BD.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design	Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan...	2017	Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system	2004	Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety	2006	Exploratory mixed methods study	n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context	2001	Qualitative study	n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators	2013	Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

Cited by 2

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