meditation, anxiety, depression

Bristolboro

Well-known member
Has anyone tried to meditate, to make their life better?

I was suffering with a medium level of anxiety and depression, as well as alcohol dependency. This went on for some years. Then I started to practice Vipassana meditation and began to cure all three conditions. Now I am free, although it requires continued practice.
To put it bluntly this technique of meditation requires you to turn your awareness to all conditions as you experience them.. all thoughts, feelings and sensations, so you see them as impermanent, coming and going, and then, through meditation, you learn not to attach. For all example, you are not actually addicted to alcohol just the sensation that alcohol gives you.. it's just another sensation. Once you understand it as just sensations then you can just be aware of that and begin to let go of rather than cling to the thought of 'I need alcohol', or 'I am depressed' etc. You become aware that you can control your reaction to all sensations and the thoughts that these generate. Then you are in control. I'm not saying it is easy, though, but it is a way.

Meditation is not for everyone, but I would recommend it if you are not happy, for any reason.
 
Has anyone tried to meditate, to make their life better?

I was suffering with a medium level of anxiety and depression, as well as alcohol dependency. This went on for some years. Then I started to practice Vipassana meditation and began to cure all three conditions. Now I am free, although it requires continued practice.
To put it bluntly this technique of meditation requires you to turn your awareness to all conditions as you experience them.. all thoughts, feelings and sensations, so you see them as impermanent, coming and going, and then, through meditation, you learn not to attach. For all example, you are not actually addicted to alcohol just the sensation that alcohol gives you.. it's just another sensation. Once you understand it as just sensations then you can just be aware of that and begin to let go of rather than cling to the thought of 'I need alcohol', or 'I am depressed' etc. You become aware that you can control your reaction to all sensations and the thoughts that these generate. Then you are in control. I'm not saying it is easy, though, but it is a way.

Meditation is not for everyone, but I would recommend it if you are not happy, for any reason.
I've mentioned it on here before but people probably thought that I was joking. I suffer from really bad insomnia and often don't sleep at all for the best part of a week but then the fatigue really kicks in and I end up hibernating in a darkened room for a day or so. I don't sleep much then either but I do get in to an odd meditative kind of state and my mind wanders off to all kinds of bizarre places and I'll sometimes hallucinate too. I work/worked in the arts (pretty much retired now) and I got some of my best ideas that way. Always recharges my batteries and makes me feel better.
 
I've mentioned it on here before but people probably thought that I was joking. I suffer from really bad insomnia and often don't sleep at all for the best part of a week but then the fatigue really kicks in and I end up hibernating in a darkened room for a day or so. I don't sleep much then either but I do get in to an odd meditative kind of state and my mind wanders off to all kinds of bizarre places and I'll sometimes hallucinate too. I work/worked in the arts (pretty much retired now) and I got some of my best ideas that way. Always recharges my batteries and makes me feel better.
I get lots of good ideas in a nice hot bath. Thats great but I tend to get dehydrated and my body fluids get out of kilter. Also tends to wither up parts already withered.
I sometimes take a pen and paper in to write down those ideas because they're usually forgotten upon return to reality
 
I get lots of good ideas in a nice hot bath. Thats great but I tend to get dehydrated and my body fluids get out of kilter. Also tends to wither up parts already withered.
I sometimes take a pen and paper in to write down those ideas because they're usually forgotten upon return to reality
Doesn't the paper get all soggy? Nobody wants to hear about your withered up parts mate. And they certainly don't want to hear about mine.
 
meditation can help with all areas of life. If the footie is real bad and you get down about it, then just be aware that it is impermanent and things will change. You can react to anything in life with equanimity. You have control. Life is really a mind training exercise. Be happy!
 
I'm definitely pro meditation. I find it very difficult, my mind rarely switches off but it certainly helps you refocus and rebalance. It's not a panacea by any means but if you're suffering form any mental health issues with its deep rooted anxiety or just light stress it'll help most people ease their troubles a little
 
Has anyone tried to meditate, to make their life better?

I was suffering with a medium level of anxiety and depression, as well as alcohol dependency. This went on for some years. Then I started to practice Vipassana meditation and began to cure all three conditions. Now I am free, although it requires continued practice.
To put it bluntly this technique of meditation requires you to turn your awareness to all conditions as you experience them.. all thoughts, feelings and sensations, so you see them as impermanent, coming and going, and then, through meditation, you learn not to attach. For all example, you are not actually addicted to alcohol just the sensation that alcohol gives you.. it's just another sensation. Once you understand it as just sensations then you can just be aware of that and begin to let go of rather than cling to the thought of 'I need alcohol', or 'I am depressed' etc. You become aware that you can control your reaction to all sensations and the thoughts that these generate. Then you are in control. I'm not saying it is easy, though, but it is a way.

Meditation is not for everyone, but I would recommend it if you are not happy, for any reason.
Definitely different strokes...if it works then do it! (y)
Personally I prefer hammering away on the exercise bike or packing up and going walking.
 
I'm definitely pro meditation. I find it very difficult, my mind rarely switches off but it certainly helps you refocus and rebalance. It's not a panacea by any means but if you're suffering form any mental health issues with its deep rooted anxiety or just light stress it'll help most people ease their troubles a little
I don't think the mind ever switches off, but by paying attention to the breath as the object of meditation you can then begin just to observe your thoughts coming and going, and go back to the breath, no attachment. Eventually you realize that your conscious mind is just automatically reacting to everything, so you can just observe this. With continued practice (I practice about 90 minutes a day) you can then explore the root of your conscious mind, the deeper mind, which conditions our conscious mental reactions to life. This is insight meditation and how you free your mind from dependency on all external things for your happiness. Actually, you don't need to be anxious to meditate.. anxiety is very subtle and invades most thoughts. Even happy thoughts dependent on other people, things, events etc. do not last.

I'm not religious btw. Just experiencing things as they are.

I hope you find your way.
 
Definitely different strokes...if it works then do it! (y)
Personally I prefer hammering away on the exercise bike or packing up and going walking.
I find walking is great. A great way to ponder and resolve a problem, too. Physical exercise, mental exercise. meditation is mental exercise.
 
I find walking is great. A great way to ponder and resolve a problem, too. Physical exercise, mental exercise. meditation is mental exercise.
I use mindfulness techniques - which as Im sure you are aware, includes all the tools you mention, as well as reflection, grounding, etc. In many ways, those techniques are more effective long-term than medication.
The medical model is perceived as a prescribed "cure".
But we both know thats just not true.
It helps - but developing self-management techniques is preferable [in my opinion] to medication - as a first port of call.
 
I use mindfulness meditations but not as often as I should.

I used to do a 30 minute guided session daily and it really helped. I'm very interested in the power of the mind and read quite a bit about hypnotherapy. I've been meaning to become qualified as a hypnotherapist but never quite found the time.
 
i recommend the podcast 'i cant believe its not buddha' for beginners who want to learn about meditation - in a very lighthearted way!
 
I use mindfulness techniques - which as Im sure you are aware, includes all the tools you mention, as well as reflection, grounding, etc. In many ways, those techniques are more effective long-term than medication.
The medical model is perceived as a prescribed "cure".
But we both know thats just not true.
It helps - but developing self-management techniques is preferable [in my opinion] to medication - as a first port of call.
Agree with you there. I pondered whether to seek medication for depression, like most, but actually meditation cured it. I guess the cultural norm is look for a medication fix for everything. This is also a part of the problem.
Also agree about 'grounding'. Meditation stems from 'head' work, but our minds are embodied. Walking meditation is a great practice for both grounding and becoming aware of the mind-body connection. The two are so closely connected we are hardly aware of it.
 
I use mindfulness meditations but not as often as I should.

I used to do a 30 minute guided session daily and it really helped. I'm very interested in the power of the mind and read quite a bit about hypnotherapy. I've been meaning to become qualified as a hypnotherapist but never quite found the time.
Finding time is always a challenge, perhaps as challenging as sitting and meditating itself. I'm interested in why you don't practice when you know it helps? I realize that when I sit and practice I enter a different consciousness. I think perhaps the conscious, surface mind is resisting and wants to remain in control by finding excuses not to do it, or not to give up control to the deeper, knowing mind. Just a thought..
 
i recommend the podcast 'i cant believe its not buddha' for beginners who want to learn about meditation - in a very lighthearted way!
I keep hearing that advertised. It sounds good. I think it's important to as people think "mindfulness" is for hippies and tree huggers. I don't think it is. It cam help anyone of any mentality and way of life
 
I think as humans we are hard wired to worry about things.
I can end up with lots of negative thoughts whizzing round in my head, following the boro doesnt always help !
The one good thing about getting older is that none of these worries are new. So we know its gonna be ok we just got to keep taking the happy pills ( prescribed of course ! )
 
Finding time is always a challenge, perhaps as challenging as sitting and meditating itself. I'm interested in why you don't practice when you know it helps? I realize that when I sit and practice I enter a different consciousness. I think perhaps the conscious, surface mind is resisting and wants to remain in control by finding excuses not to do it, or not to give up control to the deeper, knowing mind. Just a thought..
It's a good question.

I think when I was in the habit of doing it - a few years ago now, I felt that its regimented daily use was losing its impact so I was trying to use mindfulness in the moment...eg at work during stressful moments to come back to the breathing or in a frustrating traffic jam - back to the breathing. I do still do that but having lost the momentum of the 30 minutes a day, the routine is broken and it takes effort to reinstate it.
 
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