How Does Meditation Help Anxiety and Depression?

Episode Transcript

Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? Stress built up over long periods of time can lead to anxiety and depression. But did you also know that meditation can help? In today’s episode, I want to talk about ways meditation can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and depression.  

Welcome to Making Friends With Depression. 

Hello friends, and welcome back to another edition of Making Friends with Depression. I am your host, Charles Minguez. 

Quickly at the top of the show, I’d like to take care of some housekeeping. Hey, listen. If you enjoy the show, please do me a favor rate and review it on whatever podcast platform you listen on. It really helps drive the show up the charts. 

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Before we dive into the show, I like to share some background information, so listeners know why I’m doing this and where I’m coming from.

My History With Depression and Mindfulness

I’ve lived most of my life with major depression and schizoaffective disorder. I was first diagnosed at 13, and I’m now in my 40’s. In fact, this month, I’ll be turning 42. Looking back, when I was younger, never in a million years thought I'd be here sitting having a podcast in the house that I own where my wife and four children live. Just blows my mind. So, mental illness and wellness have been a big part of my life.

When it comes to mindfulness, I have studied mindfulness for 20 plus years. I began studying  yogic philosophy with Dr. Bob Butera at the Yoga Life Institute. Over time, my practice changed and morphed and I found my way to Buddhism. I am now a practicing Buddhist and even teach beginner meditation classes. 

As a Peer Support Specialist, I volunteered my time with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, also known as NAMI, and facilitated meetings for adults experiencing poor mental wellness. 

My story, plus my lived experience, is something that I hope others find inspirational. My motivation, however, is to give back and help others. This podcast is one way that I can do that. 

I Am Not a Therapist

Listen, I’m not a therapist and I am not a counselor. The content on this show is not meant to be taken as medical advice. I’m only trying to inspire hope by sharing my story and the techniques that helped me during my healing process because I think you’ll find them helpful too.

Welcome to today's show on how meditation can help alleviate anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression are common mental health conditions impacting millions of people worldwide, myself included. 

These conditions can lead to a wide range of symptoms, including feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and irritability. Fortunately, there has been a lot of research has shown that meditation can be an effective tool for managing these conditions. But how you ask and that is a great question. 

What is Meditation?

Before diving into meditation's benefits, let's first define what meditation is. Meditation is a practice that involves training the mind, or retraining the mind, to focus on the present moment or some sort of virtuous object like compassion, patience, loving-kindness, etc. But for our purposes today, focusing on the present moment works very well.

There are many different types of meditation, but most involve some form of mindfulness, which is the practice of paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without, and I repeat, without judgment.

As we practice meditation more and more, we bring our practice into what’s called the ‘meditation break,’ meaning the time we’re not sitting down to practice. And so over time, our daily life becomes a meditation. This is one of the powerful side effects of practicing. 

How Meditation Can Help with Anxiety?

One of the main ways that meditation can help with anxiety is by reducing the condition's symptoms. Research has shown that meditation can actually lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is often elevated in people with anxiety. Meditation can also help decrease worry and fear by training the mind to focus on the present moment instead of fixating on the past or future.

Another way that meditation can help with anxiety is by increasing feelings of relaxation and calm. Meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response. This can lead to decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and feelings of deep relaxation.

How Meditation Can Help with Depression?

Meditation can also be an effective tool for managing depression. One of the main ways that meditation can help with depression is by increasing feelings of positivity and well-being. Research has shown that regular meditation practice can actually increase levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is often low in people with depression. Many people suffering with depression will take SSRI's to uptake the serotonin to the brain. So meditation is doing a very similar thing. 

Meditation can also help improve sleep quality, which is often disrupted in people with depression. By promoting feelings of relaxation and reducing feelings of anxiety, meditation can help improve the quality of sleep, leading to improvements in mood and overall well-being.

Tips for Getting Started with Meditation

If you're interested in trying meditation to help with anxiety or depression, here are a few tips to get you started:

Tip Number 1: Find a quiet and comfortable place to meditate, free from distractions.

If you're a parent with small children or you just have a very busy life, you might hear that and be laughing out loud but it can be done I promise you. It can be down in your bedroom early in the morning or even sitting in your bed before going to sleep. If you still have difficulty finding a quiet place, try sitting in your car before going into the store the next time or into work or before your next appointment. 

Tip Number 2: Set a five-minute timer to start, gradually increasing the time as you become more comfortable with the practice.

Five minutes is a great amount of time, to begin with. Go big or go home doesn’t apply here. If you try sitting down to meditate for your first time using a thirty-minute timer, I guarantee you’ll get frustrated and probably give up. Start small and work your way up. 

Tip Number 3: Focus on your breath, I say this a lot, but it's true, focus on the breath using it as an anchor to bring your attention back to the present moment whenever your mind begins to wander.

If you find it helpful, you can bring your attention to the tip of your nose, noticing the breath's sensation as you inhale and exhale. Pay attention to how the breath feels when you breath in, it feels cool. When you exhale it feels warm. If your mind wanders, simply come back to the breath. Use it as an anchor.

Tip Number 4: Don't judge yourself for having thoughts or feelings during your meditation practice. Instead, simply observe them and let them pass without getting caught up in them.

This is a really, really, really important tip. So many people think the idea of meditation is to actually sit down and just turn the mind off completely, to stop the thoughts. That is incorrect. If you begin a meditation practice with this belief, that you should just turn everything off, you will give up out of frustration. Remember, meditation helps us become aware of the present moment, it trains our mind to become aware of the present moment. The present moment sometimes includes thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

Meditation Reminders

Meditation can be a powerful tool for managing anxiety and depression. By reducing stress and promoting feelings of relaxation and positivity, meditation can help alleviate these conditions' symptoms and improve overall well-being. 

But it's important to remember that meditation is a tool it is not a fix-all for the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Also, important to  remember that meditation is not meant to turn off thoughts and feelings but to help you better understand them.

If you're interested in trying meditation, start small and be patient with yourself. With regular practice, you may find that meditation becomes an important part of your mental health toolkit. 

Support the Show!

Ok, so that's it for today's show. If you've tried and you're having a hard time it, reach out to me. I might be able to help you out. Also check out the show notes for the five minute breathing guided meditation. 

Thanks for being here. I appreciate you listening. If you’d like to learn more about what was discussed in today’s show, visit my website, Making Friends With Depression. You’ll find today’s show's notes and other resources.

Also, help me spread the word about Making Friends With Depression by sharing this episode with a friend today! 

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Until next time friends, thank you again and many blessings!