What role does mindfulness play in anxiety management?
Written by
Stella Nilsson
Reviewed by
Prof. Benjamin Murphy, Ph.D.Mindfulness changes the way you manage anxiety in that it trains your brain to be aware of thoughts without judgment. Nonjudgmental awareness gives you the ability to interrupt rumination cycles, which feed the thinking that adds to your anxiety. I teach mindfulness because, by practicing it regularly, the brain rewires itself, literally reinforcing the pathways, thus making the prefrontal cortex stronger and helping it manage emotions better, resulting in a calmness that lasts.
Breath Anchoring
- Focus attention on inhalation and exhalation patterns
- Notice breath sensations in nostrils chest and abdomen
- Gently return focus when mind wanders to worries
Body Scanning
- Systematically observe physical sensations from toes to scalp
- Identify tension areas without trying to change them
- Creates detachment from physical anxiety symptoms
Thought Labeling
- Name worry patterns: 'planning' 'catastrophizing' 'memories'
- Frame thoughts as passing mental events not truths
- Builds cognitive distance from anxious narratives
Sensory Grounding
- Engage fully with present sights sounds smells textures
- Interrupts future-oriented worrying instantly
- Restores connection to immediate environment
The practice "works" by increasing the prefrontal control of the emotional experience. We know that MRI studies show a thickening of the prefrontal cortex in regular meditators. This area of the brain works by "toning down" the more primitive amygdalic (fear) type of reactions. After a consistent eight-week practice, clients report 50% less rumination.
Begin practicing micro-sessions to gain consistency. Every time you wash dishes or take a shower, set aside some time to notice the different things about washing dishes, getting wet in the shower, the temperature of the water, the scents of soap, the movements of your hands, etc. These little incidents are used to train your brain to anchor back in the moment gradually over the course of the day.
Merge mindfulness with physical techniques for greater effects. Following progressive muscle relaxation, maintain awareness of the relaxed muscles. Or use breath focus while walking to enhance the mind-body connection. This integrated approach enhances anxiety relief to a greater degree than does the use of separate techniques.
Read the full article: 10 Anxiety Reduction Techniques That Work
