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What You Need To Know About Mindfulness Meditation For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

by — 2020-05-01 in Mental Health
Mindfulness meditation may sound like a lot of nonsense to you, but think again. Plenty of studies have shown that it can reduce PTSD symptoms in trauma survivors, as well as help with pain and fatigue.

Some people — OK, actually many people — are really into meditation. Others? Not so much, especially once you introduce spiritual elements.

In fact, you wouldn't be the first to think that something like meditation doesn't hold much potential to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, because it's basically pseudoscience nonsense. That was my starting point, too, and I was wrong. Meditation, and mindfulness in particular, can help with PTSD. Don't take my word for it; there's science to back that up. A lot, actually.

What is mindfulness meditation?

The American Psychological Association, in one place, simply describes meditation as training yourself to focus your attention "to achieve a mental state of calm concentration and positive emotions". In mindfulness, that means two things — refocusing your attention so you're fully present in the here and now, and accepting and acknowledging your own emotions and experiences, free from self-judgment. 

For people who are periodically thrown into a rather painful past through flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive memories, and people who are stuck in a cycle of maladaptive self-blame — in other words, people with PTSD — those basic-sounding things can make a very big difference. Ultimately, mindfulness meditation restructures the brain in a way that helps it build resilience and develop better coping skills.

If that sounds OK to you, and it sounds like you can just tell your brain to refocus on the present and without judgment, well, there is more to mindfulness meditation. 

  • Mindfulness meditation does involve breathing exercises. 
  • Mindfulness meditation may involve sitting in a meditative posture, and definitely involves paying attention to the sensations going on in your physical body and in your mind.
  • Mindfulness meditation can involve "loving kindness" affirmations, where you tell yourself that you deserve to be happy, that you deserve to be kind to yourself, that you deserve to be and feel safe and secure. 
  • There are meditations to help you sleep, help you cope with difficult feelings, and help you cope with stress caused by other people, too. 

In its basic form, you can practice mindfulness meditation without a therapist, al by yourself. You can, for instance, try some of the guided meditations the UCLA offers. 

On a more therapeutic level, however, you've got mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) — a therapy program with weekly group sessions and daily solo practice — and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). This intervention combines elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, a pretty popular approach to treating PTSD, with elements of mindfulness meditation. These kinds of programs typically last at least two months, after which you can continue practicing mindfulness on your own. 

In the era of COVID-19, it's important to know that even apps for mindfulness meditation can have a positive effect on your mental health.

Why would you try mindfulness meditation as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder?

If something's blocking you from wanting to try mindfulness meditation for PTSD, I understand. I, too, was diagnosed with PTSD and I definitely didn't fancy meditation during the height of my symptoms. In fact, my life was organized around avoiding my own feelings, around not being aware of my physical sensations, and around distracting myself from anything that might — basically — confront me with myself. 

The first time I tried meditation, I wanted a drink really badly. Meditation confronts you with yourself, your past and your present, and that can pose some challenges. 

Why would you try mindfulness meditation if you have PTSD? Because studies have shown that it works, even though it may be highly confronting and not at all relaxing at first. 

One study found that combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder did well with brief mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions, delivered in the form of a telehealth program. Participating temporarily alleviated their PTSD symptoms. Another bit of research showed that firefighters had fewer PTSD symptoms, better physical health, and lower levels of substance abuse after participating in mindfulness meditation. 

So, the groups studied in those instances were a far cry from the kinds of "middle class yoga ladies" I used to imagine would be into something like mindfulness meditation. Folks from backgrounds that aren't exactly known for snuggling up with mint tea in the Lotus position, while talking about their feeeeelings, can benefit from something like mindfulness meditation. Folks with tough pasts and post-traumatic stress disorder can find comfort and real healing in mindfulness meditation.

Pain, fatigue, and stress levels can also go down with mindfulness, other research suggests — and more than 200 studies show benefits for all sorts of people, ranging from those with major depressive disorder or anxiety disorders, to addiction and simply a stressful life. 

What now?

At the time of this writing, the COVID-19 pandemic is still in full swing. If you've got post-traumatic stress disorder, that may mean that social distancing policies have cut you off from in-person therapy, while the pandemic itself is quite likely to be triggering in all sorts of ways. You need therapy maybe more than ever, but accessing it has become harder. 

If you are willing to give mindfulness meditation a try, you may want to try:

Sources & Links

  • Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth

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