Acceptance
By building constructive communication skills, people can articulate feelings in a non-abusive, non-manipulative manner — increasing their chances of being understood. Many people, including myself, feel alone and have the need to be heard.
Worth the Investment
Insurance companies increasingly cover DBT, which makes financial sense considering the patient acquires coping skills rather than lifetime of prescribed medication. If one adds the risk of medication’s side effects it’s plain as day why DBT is attractive to patients, treatment providers and insurers.
The Science
A recent Oxford University study found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduces depression relapse by 44 percent. Thirty percent of British physicians prescribe mindfulness-based treatment for patients with mental health conditions and emotional difficulties.
Neurologists find structural changes in the brain relative to the amount of time stress reduction methods are practiced. For example, a mere eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques thickens parts of the brain used in making decisions, creativity, learning and memory.
These studies also show a thinning of the part of the brain that involves fear response. This suggests people who redirect their thoughts from fear are less stressed.
Stress Hormones: A Vicious Cycle
Fear and anxiety activate the flight or fight reaction, producing the troublesome stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is inexorably linked to high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and weight gain, particularly around the waist.
Disproportional weight gain in the midsection is a well-known side effect of mood stabilizing atypical antipsychotics. Called visceral fat, it wraps around and pressures the heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas, compromising function.
Not only that, belly fat produces even more cortisol! This stress hormone is now known to inhibit the production of feel good neurotransmitters like serotonin, negatively impacting our moods.
Here’s What We Can Control
We need to take charge of what we can and practice mindfulness techniques to keep our stress levels down while waiting for new advances in medicine.
Researchers have been scrambling for years to develop effective treatments to counter metabolic side effects of second generation or atypical antipsychotics. Stateside, final studies are garnering media attention and once final stages are complete will be sent in for FDA review.
Challenges appear when I’m making other plans, requiring me to be fully present so I can improvise my way out. I find it hard to be creative when I’m paralyzed with fear.
My chronic pain recently prompted me into a guided meditation. Tuning in, I realized the problem was my stinking thinking. Catching and correcting this is helping me greatly.
As I practice mindfulness, paying attention to my environment and the present, life gets easier. Now I remember my conversations and can find my car in large parking lots!
I’ve ditched the idea of mood swings as up or down, good or bad. I will not tolerate black and white thinking in my head living rent free!
By being mindful and choosing constructive, solution-based thoughts, I experience life in full-blown Technicolor. That’s what I want and how I want it. How about you?
