#self-compassion — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #self-compassion, aggregated by home.social.
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✏️ In my latest blog post I explain why the comparisons we make with other people often leave us feeling worse, not better. I also include some advice on how to deal with these thoughts.
https://www.worklifepsych.com/why-comparisons-leave-you-feeling-worse/
#SelfCompassion #CoachingBlog #PersonalDevelopment #WorkLifePsych
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✏️ In my latest blog post I explain why the comparisons we make with other people often leave us feeling worse, not better. I also include some advice on how to deal with these thoughts.
https://www.worklifepsych.com/why-comparisons-leave-you-feeling-worse/
#SelfCompassion #CoachingBlog #PersonalDevelopment #WorkLifePsych
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Overcoming serious conditions from your past starts with the courage to face what was left unhealed.
#HealingJourney #OvercomeYourPast #SelfCompassion #TraumaRecovery #InnerStrength #MindBodyWellness #ThinkandGrowEducation #RayBehan #Meditation -
Overcoming serious conditions from your past starts with the courage to face what was left unhealed.
#HealingJourney #OvercomeYourPast #SelfCompassion #TraumaRecovery #InnerStrength #MindBodyWellness #ThinkandGrowEducation #RayBehan #Meditation -
DATE: July 16, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Oxytocin nasal spray may help people with borderline personality disorder engage in self-compassion meditation
New research published in Psychiatry Research suggests that a nasal spray of the hormone oxytocin may help individuals with borderline personality disorder get more out of compassion-based meditation. The study provides evidence that oxytocin specifically improves a person’s ability to create and hold onto comforting mental images during these exercises. These early findings suggest a potential new way to support people who often find self-compassion practices difficult or uncomfortable.
Borderline personality disorder, commonly known as BPD, is a mental health condition characterized by intense emotional instability. People with BPD often experience severe difficulties in their relationships, deep struggles with their self-image, and sudden impulsive behaviors. These features make it exceptionally hard for individuals to regulate their emotions on a daily basis.
A major feature of this disorder involves high levels of self-criticism and shame. This tends to result in a habit of self-invalidation, where individuals constantly dismiss, minimize, or punish their own emotional experiences. This pattern of self-invalidation often stems from childhood experiences in environments where a person’s private emotions were ignored or rejected.
“Some individuals have difficulty feeling valued and exhibit a self-critical attitude, which constitutes a transdiagnostic variable that is both a source of vulnerability and a factor contributing to the persistence of mental disorders,” said study author Joaquim Soler. Soler is a clinical psychologist at the Borderline Personality Disorder Unit of the Psychiatric Department at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain. He is also an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“One of the disorders more often experiencing high levels of shame, self-criticism, and self-invalidation are individuals with borderline personality disorder, which can make self-compassion practices difficult or even aversive,” Soler explained. Because of these intense negative self-evaluations, compassion-based therapies can be highly beneficial for this population. These therapeutic practices teach people how to direct kindness and understanding toward themselves rather than harsh judgment.
Over time, practicing self-compassion can help reduce emotional vulnerability and lower overall symptom severity. However, individuals with BPD frequently encounter intense mental roadblocks when trying to engage in self-compassion. They might feel deep discomfort, fierce resistance, or even find the experience to be emotionally painful.
Psychologists sometimes refer to this as “backdraft,” a phenomenon where attempting to offer oneself love and kindness accidentally triggers a rush of past emotional pain and severe self-criticism. To address this specific challenge, scientists looked to oxytocin, a chemical messenger naturally produced in the brain. Oxytocin is well-known for its role in social bonding, emotional regulation, and processing social information.
Prior research suggests that oxytocin can influence how people process social and emotional information in a clinical setting. “Although intranasal oxytocin has been studied as a potential modulator of social and emotional processes, its effects in borderline personality disorder remain mixed, and few studies have examined whether it can facilitate specific processes during psychotherapy,” Soler told PsyPost. “We therefore investigated whether administering oxytocin before a guided compassion-based meditation could improve the subjective quality of the practice.”
To explore this idea, the scientists set up a small clinical trial known as a pilot double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. They recruited 18 individuals who had been formally diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The diagnosis was confirmed by mental health professionals using a specific clinical interview tool called the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines, Revised.
Soler expressed deep gratitude for the people who volunteered for the research. “I would like to acknowledge the participants who took part in this study and were willing to engage in compassion practices that can be particularly challenging for people with borderline personality disorder,” Soler said. “Their participation made it possible for us to explore this research question.”
The researchers randomly divided the participants into two equal groups of nine. One group received a nasal spray containing a standard dose of oxytocin, measuring exactly 24 international units. The other group received a placebo, which was a nasal spray containing inactive ingredients. The study was strictly double-blind, meaning neither the participants nor the therapist guiding the meditation knew who received the actual hormone or the placebo.
Participants attended five weekly sessions at the hospital clinic in Barcelona. During each session, they were given their assigned nasal spray and then waited for one hour for the substance to take effect. Following the waiting period, they participated in a 15-minute guided meditation focused on compassion.
The meditation program is part of a system called Contextual Compassion Training. The exercises started with generating feelings of loving-kindness toward a loved one or a benefactor, and eventually transitioned to directing that same kindness toward themselves. As the five weeks progressed, the guided practices included more advanced mental exercises.
These included visualizing a safe place, imagining a compassionate color, and performing a compassionate body scan. Participants also received instructions to practice these meditation exercises at home every day between their weekly appointments. To measure the effects of the intervention, the authors used a tool called the Compassion Practice Quality Scale.
This self-report survey asks participants to rate their experience during the meditation on a scale from zero to 100. Higher scores indicate that a person experienced fewer difficulties during the mental exercises. However, the scientists stressed exactly what this survey evaluates.
“The main caveat concerns what we measured,” Soler explained. “The Compassion Practice Quality Scale assesses participants’ experience while performing a compassion meditation; it does not measure borderline personality disorder symptoms, general or trait self-compassion, or treatment efficacy.”
This scale specifically measures two different aspects of the meditation experience. The first is the mental imagery dimension, which captures how well a person can create, inspect, and sustain a vivid compassionate mental picture without being distracted by self-criticism. The second aspect is the somatic dimension, which relates to physical and bodily sensations experienced during the practice, such as feelings of bodily warmth and comfort.
Participants completed this survey at the very beginning of the study and again at the end of the five-week period. The scientists then compared the final scores between the two groups using a statistical model that adjusted for the participants’ initial starting scores at baseline. At the start of the study, the two groups had similar scores across all measures.
The data showed that the group receiving oxytocin scored significantly higher on the mental imagery dimension at the end of the study compared to the placebo group. “In this small pilot study, participants who received intranasal oxytocin before the compassion meditation reported fewer difficulties with compassionate mental imagery than those who received placebo, after accounting for baseline scores,” Soler said. “This dimension reflects the ability to create, sustain, examine, and transform a vivid compassionate image during meditation, while managing interference from self-critical thoughts.”
“Rather than surprising me, what struck me most was that the clearest difference appeared specifically in the imagery dimension,” Soler noted. “As we said, this dimension reflects the ability to create and sustain a compassionate mental image despite interference from self-critical thoughts. We expected oxytocin might help participants overcome this barrier and remain connected to the meditation, so it was encouraging to observe a preliminary effect precisely in that process.”
The oxytocin group reached an average imagery score of nearly 77 out of 100, compared to an average of about 67 in the placebo group. The somatic scores and the overall total scores on the survey were roughly similar whether the participants received oxytocin or the placebo. Soler noted that the lack of change in the placebo group requires specific context.
“The absence of improvement in the placebo group should not be interpreted as evidence that compassion meditation is ineffective, because both groups received the same meditation intervention and the study was designed to examine the additional effect of oxytocin,” he explained. To analyze the strength of the oxytocin findings, the authors looked at the statistical effect size. “The adjusted difference between groups on the imagery dimension was 23.98 points on a 0 to 100 scale, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 5.28 to 42.68 and a partial eta-squared of .57,” Soler detailed.
“Although this represents a large statistical effect within this sample, the pilot study included only 18 participants, which limits the precision and generalizability of the estimate,” Soler cautioned. “We also do not yet know whether improved compassionate imagery translates into meaningful changes in symptoms, self-compassion, self-criticism, interpersonal functioning, or treatment response. More studies would be needed to confirm this.”
The small group size prevented the scientists from analyzing how individual characteristics might change a person’s reaction to the hormone. Additionally, the vast majority of the participants were female. This imbalance means the results might not accurately reflect how oxytocin and meditation affect men with borderline personality disorder. The researchers also did not formally evaluate whether the participants had other overlapping personality disorders, which adds another layer of unknown variables.
The authors also noted that the oxytocin spray was well-tolerated by the participants. No one reported any adverse side effects from the medication during the five-week trial, and all participants completed the final assessments. The psychological effects of oxytocin are known to vary greatly from person to person. A person’s past history of trauma, their specific attachment style, and their sensitivity to social rejection can all change how they react to the hormone in a clinical setting.
Future research with much larger groups of people is underway to see if these initial findings hold up over time and across different types of patients. “We have recently completed a larger randomized, double-blind clinical trial that expands on this pilot study by including a broader range of outcome measures,” Soler revealed. “We are preparing to report the results, which indicate that oxytocin may have beneficial effects across several relevant dimensions in borderline personality disorder, including quality of life.”
“We would like to continue exploring oxytocin as an adjunct to psychotherapy, determine which therapeutic processes it may facilitate, and identify for whom these effects may be most helpful and whether they are sustained over time,” he concluded.
The study, “Promoting self-compassion meditation with intranasal oxytocin in borderline personality disorder: a pilot study,” was authored by Maria Arqueros, Joaquim Soler, David Almenta, Anna Soria-Madrid, Carlos Schmidt, and Juan C. Pascual.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Oxytocin #BPD #SelfCompassion #CompassionMeditation #MentalHealthResearch #PsychiatryResearch #IntranasalOxytocin #ImageryInMeditation #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #CompassionateMindset
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DATE: July 16, 2026 at 06:00AM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Oxytocin nasal spray may help people with borderline personality disorder engage in self-compassion meditation
New research published in Psychiatry Research suggests that a nasal spray of the hormone oxytocin may help individuals with borderline personality disorder get more out of compassion-based meditation. The study provides evidence that oxytocin specifically improves a person’s ability to create and hold onto comforting mental images during these exercises. These early findings suggest a potential new way to support people who often find self-compassion practices difficult or uncomfortable.
Borderline personality disorder, commonly known as BPD, is a mental health condition characterized by intense emotional instability. People with BPD often experience severe difficulties in their relationships, deep struggles with their self-image, and sudden impulsive behaviors. These features make it exceptionally hard for individuals to regulate their emotions on a daily basis.
A major feature of this disorder involves high levels of self-criticism and shame. This tends to result in a habit of self-invalidation, where individuals constantly dismiss, minimize, or punish their own emotional experiences. This pattern of self-invalidation often stems from childhood experiences in environments where a person’s private emotions were ignored or rejected.
“Some individuals have difficulty feeling valued and exhibit a self-critical attitude, which constitutes a transdiagnostic variable that is both a source of vulnerability and a factor contributing to the persistence of mental disorders,” said study author Joaquim Soler. Soler is a clinical psychologist at the Borderline Personality Disorder Unit of the Psychiatric Department at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain. He is also an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“One of the disorders more often experiencing high levels of shame, self-criticism, and self-invalidation are individuals with borderline personality disorder, which can make self-compassion practices difficult or even aversive,” Soler explained. Because of these intense negative self-evaluations, compassion-based therapies can be highly beneficial for this population. These therapeutic practices teach people how to direct kindness and understanding toward themselves rather than harsh judgment.
Over time, practicing self-compassion can help reduce emotional vulnerability and lower overall symptom severity. However, individuals with BPD frequently encounter intense mental roadblocks when trying to engage in self-compassion. They might feel deep discomfort, fierce resistance, or even find the experience to be emotionally painful.
Psychologists sometimes refer to this as “backdraft,” a phenomenon where attempting to offer oneself love and kindness accidentally triggers a rush of past emotional pain and severe self-criticism. To address this specific challenge, scientists looked to oxytocin, a chemical messenger naturally produced in the brain. Oxytocin is well-known for its role in social bonding, emotional regulation, and processing social information.
Prior research suggests that oxytocin can influence how people process social and emotional information in a clinical setting. “Although intranasal oxytocin has been studied as a potential modulator of social and emotional processes, its effects in borderline personality disorder remain mixed, and few studies have examined whether it can facilitate specific processes during psychotherapy,” Soler told PsyPost. “We therefore investigated whether administering oxytocin before a guided compassion-based meditation could improve the subjective quality of the practice.”
To explore this idea, the scientists set up a small clinical trial known as a pilot double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. They recruited 18 individuals who had been formally diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The diagnosis was confirmed by mental health professionals using a specific clinical interview tool called the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines, Revised.
Soler expressed deep gratitude for the people who volunteered for the research. “I would like to acknowledge the participants who took part in this study and were willing to engage in compassion practices that can be particularly challenging for people with borderline personality disorder,” Soler said. “Their participation made it possible for us to explore this research question.”
The researchers randomly divided the participants into two equal groups of nine. One group received a nasal spray containing a standard dose of oxytocin, measuring exactly 24 international units. The other group received a placebo, which was a nasal spray containing inactive ingredients. The study was strictly double-blind, meaning neither the participants nor the therapist guiding the meditation knew who received the actual hormone or the placebo.
Participants attended five weekly sessions at the hospital clinic in Barcelona. During each session, they were given their assigned nasal spray and then waited for one hour for the substance to take effect. Following the waiting period, they participated in a 15-minute guided meditation focused on compassion.
The meditation program is part of a system called Contextual Compassion Training. The exercises started with generating feelings of loving-kindness toward a loved one or a benefactor, and eventually transitioned to directing that same kindness toward themselves. As the five weeks progressed, the guided practices included more advanced mental exercises.
These included visualizing a safe place, imagining a compassionate color, and performing a compassionate body scan. Participants also received instructions to practice these meditation exercises at home every day between their weekly appointments. To measure the effects of the intervention, the authors used a tool called the Compassion Practice Quality Scale.
This self-report survey asks participants to rate their experience during the meditation on a scale from zero to 100. Higher scores indicate that a person experienced fewer difficulties during the mental exercises. However, the scientists stressed exactly what this survey evaluates.
“The main caveat concerns what we measured,” Soler explained. “The Compassion Practice Quality Scale assesses participants’ experience while performing a compassion meditation; it does not measure borderline personality disorder symptoms, general or trait self-compassion, or treatment efficacy.”
This scale specifically measures two different aspects of the meditation experience. The first is the mental imagery dimension, which captures how well a person can create, inspect, and sustain a vivid compassionate mental picture without being distracted by self-criticism. The second aspect is the somatic dimension, which relates to physical and bodily sensations experienced during the practice, such as feelings of bodily warmth and comfort.
Participants completed this survey at the very beginning of the study and again at the end of the five-week period. The scientists then compared the final scores between the two groups using a statistical model that adjusted for the participants’ initial starting scores at baseline. At the start of the study, the two groups had similar scores across all measures.
The data showed that the group receiving oxytocin scored significantly higher on the mental imagery dimension at the end of the study compared to the placebo group. “In this small pilot study, participants who received intranasal oxytocin before the compassion meditation reported fewer difficulties with compassionate mental imagery than those who received placebo, after accounting for baseline scores,” Soler said. “This dimension reflects the ability to create, sustain, examine, and transform a vivid compassionate image during meditation, while managing interference from self-critical thoughts.”
“Rather than surprising me, what struck me most was that the clearest difference appeared specifically in the imagery dimension,” Soler noted. “As we said, this dimension reflects the ability to create and sustain a compassionate mental image despite interference from self-critical thoughts. We expected oxytocin might help participants overcome this barrier and remain connected to the meditation, so it was encouraging to observe a preliminary effect precisely in that process.”
The oxytocin group reached an average imagery score of nearly 77 out of 100, compared to an average of about 67 in the placebo group. The somatic scores and the overall total scores on the survey were roughly similar whether the participants received oxytocin or the placebo. Soler noted that the lack of change in the placebo group requires specific context.
“The absence of improvement in the placebo group should not be interpreted as evidence that compassion meditation is ineffective, because both groups received the same meditation intervention and the study was designed to examine the additional effect of oxytocin,” he explained. To analyze the strength of the oxytocin findings, the authors looked at the statistical effect size. “The adjusted difference between groups on the imagery dimension was 23.98 points on a 0 to 100 scale, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 5.28 to 42.68 and a partial eta-squared of .57,” Soler detailed.
“Although this represents a large statistical effect within this sample, the pilot study included only 18 participants, which limits the precision and generalizability of the estimate,” Soler cautioned. “We also do not yet know whether improved compassionate imagery translates into meaningful changes in symptoms, self-compassion, self-criticism, interpersonal functioning, or treatment response. More studies would be needed to confirm this.”
The small group size prevented the scientists from analyzing how individual characteristics might change a person’s reaction to the hormone. Additionally, the vast majority of the participants were female. This imbalance means the results might not accurately reflect how oxytocin and meditation affect men with borderline personality disorder. The researchers also did not formally evaluate whether the participants had other overlapping personality disorders, which adds another layer of unknown variables.
The authors also noted that the oxytocin spray was well-tolerated by the participants. No one reported any adverse side effects from the medication during the five-week trial, and all participants completed the final assessments. The psychological effects of oxytocin are known to vary greatly from person to person. A person’s past history of trauma, their specific attachment style, and their sensitivity to social rejection can all change how they react to the hormone in a clinical setting.
Future research with much larger groups of people is underway to see if these initial findings hold up over time and across different types of patients. “We have recently completed a larger randomized, double-blind clinical trial that expands on this pilot study by including a broader range of outcome measures,” Soler revealed. “We are preparing to report the results, which indicate that oxytocin may have beneficial effects across several relevant dimensions in borderline personality disorder, including quality of life.”
“We would like to continue exploring oxytocin as an adjunct to psychotherapy, determine which therapeutic processes it may facilitate, and identify for whom these effects may be most helpful and whether they are sustained over time,” he concluded.
The study, “Promoting self-compassion meditation with intranasal oxytocin in borderline personality disorder: a pilot study,” was authored by Maria Arqueros, Joaquim Soler, David Almenta, Anna Soria-Madrid, Carlos Schmidt, and Juan C. Pascual.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #Oxytocin #BPD #SelfCompassion #CompassionMeditation #MentalHealthResearch #PsychiatryResearch #IntranasalOxytocin #ImageryInMeditation #BorderlinePersonalityDisorder #CompassionateMindset
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Who are you comparing yourself to?
In the latest episode of the podcast, I explore why we compare ourselves to others at work, and what to do when those comparisons leave us feeling worse rather than better.
You can find Ep 219 of 'My Pocket Psych' wherever you get your podcasts or stream it direct from https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/219
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Who are you comparing yourself to?
In the latest episode of the podcast, I explore why we compare ourselves to others at work, and what to do when those comparisons leave us feeling worse rather than better.
You can find Ep 219 of 'My Pocket Psych' wherever you get your podcasts or stream it direct from https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/219
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In the shower after I got home from work, I said out loud to myself:
“My name is Stacie and I love myself”
💟🌟💟
Oh, the tears that poured out of my face!
I offered myself compassion and told myself it was good to let it out.
The shower has to be the best place to cry.
💟🌟💟
Love,
Stacie Bee
xxx 1/3#SelfLove #SelfCompassion #Healing #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
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In the shower after I got home from work, I said out loud to myself:
“My name is Stacie and I love myself”
💟🌟💟
Oh, the tears that poured out of my face!
I offered myself compassion and told myself it was good to let it out.
The shower has to be the best place to cry.
💟🌟💟
Love,
Stacie Bee
xxx 1/3#SelfLove #SelfCompassion #Healing #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
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Self-compassion isn’t about being soft, or not caring. It is, in fact, something that requires intentional effort and sometimes, real bravery. It doesn’t lower our standards, it supports improved performance. It is, as I frame it in my blog post, the ‘missing ingredient’ for so many professionals.
It’s also something that helps us meet our responsibilities to others.
Find out more:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/self-compassion-the-missing-ingredient/
-
Self-compassion isn’t about being soft, or not caring. It is, in fact, something that requires intentional effort and sometimes, real bravery. It doesn’t lower our standards, it supports improved performance. It is, as I frame it in my blog post, the ‘missing ingredient’ for so many professionals.
It’s also something that helps us meet our responsibilities to others.
Find out more:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/self-compassion-the-missing-ingredient/
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Acceptance lead me to accepting myself and eventually loving myself.
I honestly felt like I was never going to get there. I’m beyond grateful to my past self for starting the journey. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way.
16/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
Acceptance lead me to accepting myself and eventually loving myself.
I honestly felt like I was never going to get there. I’m beyond grateful to my past self for starting the journey. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way.
16/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
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Coming back to myself brought such peace, calm, and so much energy.
I missed myself. I remember looking at myself in the mirror and saying to myself: “There you are. I’ve missed you!”
People began telling me I was radiant and that they wanted to be around my energy. My first therapy session after that day felt like I had graduated to the next level of life.
Acceptance has improved my life in so many ways.
15/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
Coming back to myself brought such peace, calm, and so much energy.
I missed myself. I remember looking at myself in the mirror and saying to myself: “There you are. I’ve missed you!”
People began telling me I was radiant and that they wanted to be around my energy. My first therapy session after that day felt like I had graduated to the next level of life.
Acceptance has improved my life in so many ways.
15/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
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I listened to Maggie Sterling’s podcast episode 22 “The Missing Step in Nervous System Work” that was released on the same day and I eventually came back to myself. Not just from that one fight or flight moment but I eventually felt like myself again.
My literal thinking had me believing that I could not accept something I did not like. So I spent most of my life fighting against reality.
13/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
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Always bracing myself for the next terrible thing to happen.
That podcast let me know that I did not have to like what was happening, but I needed to accept it. Because fighting against it was signaling danger to my nervous system.
I stopped feeling like myself almost a decade ago and did not know why. I now know that when I lost a job in 2016 for the first time in my life that I ended up in survival mode.
14/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I listened to Maggie Sterling’s podcast episode 22 “The Missing Step in Nervous System Work” that was released on the same day and I eventually came back to myself. Not just from that one fight or flight moment but I eventually felt like myself again.
My literal thinking had me believing that I could not accept something I did not like. So I spent most of my life fighting against reality.
13/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
Always bracing myself for the next terrible thing to happen.
That podcast let me know that I did not have to like what was happening, but I needed to accept it. Because fighting against it was signaling danger to my nervous system.
I stopped feeling like myself almost a decade ago and did not know why. I now know that when I lost a job in 2016 for the first time in my life that I ended up in survival mode.
14/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I discovered Maggie Sterling on TikTok and started listening to her podcast a few weeks earlier.
Her podcast on January 12, 2026 saved my life that day. That’s not hyperbole. As I was shaking with what I thought was anxiety, I googled it and discovered I was in fight or flight so tried breathing exercises to recover but no amount of breathing exercises helped. What finally worked was splashing cold water on my face.
12/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I’m grateful for the work of Kristin Neff in this area and so glad that I stumbled upon her books. Providing myself the same care and compassion I would provide a friend was a great way to continue my journey towards self-love.
The last step before I finally started to love myself was acceptance. Radical self acceptance.
Another storm had me in fight or flight on January 12, 2026.
I was reborn that day.
11/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I’m grateful for the work of Kristin Neff in this area and so glad that I stumbled upon her books. Providing myself the same care and compassion I would provide a friend was a great way to continue my journey towards self-love.
The last step before I finally started to love myself was acceptance. Radical self acceptance.
Another storm had me in fight or flight on January 12, 2026.
I was reborn that day.
11/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I discovered Maggie Sterling on TikTok and started listening to her podcast a few weeks earlier.
Her podcast on January 12, 2026 saved my life that day. That’s not hyperbole. As I was shaking with what I thought was anxiety, I googled it and discovered I was in fight or flight so tried breathing exercises to recover but no amount of breathing exercises helped. What finally worked was splashing cold water on my face.
12/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I have spent my life feeling like I was wrong. Too sensitive. Not enough. But also too much. My needs did not matter. So I became the good girl. Always shapeshifting into what I thought others wanted me to be.
I never once thought to ask myself what I wanted. I hated myself my whole life.
It took a while to go from being my own worst enemy to becoming my own best friend. That’s where self-compassion came in.
10/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
While I do not have an assessment, the more I learn about neurodivergence in high masking women, I realize that is likely me. My struggles are mostly internal.
I didn’t even know I was masking my whole life until I learned what that meant. So I’m likely autistic.
I asked my doctor yesterday about getting assessed for autism.
Hoping I can access it as I’ve heard it can be quite expensive.
9/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
While I do not have an assessment, the more I learn about neurodivergence in high masking women, I realize that is likely me. My struggles are mostly internal.
I didn’t even know I was masking my whole life until I learned what that meant. So I’m likely autistic.
I asked my doctor yesterday about getting assessed for autism.
Hoping I can access it as I’ve heard it can be quite expensive.
9/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I have spent my life feeling like I was wrong. Too sensitive. Not enough. But also too much. My needs did not matter. So I became the good girl. Always shapeshifting into what I thought others wanted me to be.
I never once thought to ask myself what I wanted. I hated myself my whole life.
It took a while to go from being my own worst enemy to becoming my own best friend. That’s where self-compassion came in.
10/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I didn’t believe the panic attacks would not come back so it took months before I believed they were in the past.
The next step was learning about my neurodivergence because of one question my friend asked me when she reached out to me to offer her help with my panic attacks.
She asked me if I was neurodivergent or questioning.
Yes, yes I was questioning! I had even brought it up with my therapist before.
7/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I already knew I was a highly sensitive person (HSP) but there was more.
Her offering me to be a part of her neurodivergent community helped me see myself as not broken. I finally felt seen for the first time in my life. All my quirks I thought were my personality were more likely my neurodivergence. I no longer felt like an outsider. This was the greatest gift I had ever received. Knowing myself. Truly knowing myself.
8/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I didn’t believe the panic attacks would not come back so it took months before I believed they were in the past.
The next step was learning about my neurodivergence because of one question my friend asked me when she reached out to me to offer her help with my panic attacks.
She asked me if I was neurodivergent or questioning.
Yes, yes I was questioning! I had even brought it up with my therapist before.
7/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I already knew I was a highly sensitive person (HSP) but there was more.
Her offering me to be a part of her neurodivergent community helped me see myself as not broken. I finally felt seen for the first time in my life. All my quirks I thought were my personality were more likely my neurodivergence. I no longer felt like an outsider. This was the greatest gift I had ever received. Knowing myself. Truly knowing myself.
8/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I posted about my PTSD on Facebook. Several people reached out but one friend’s message really spoke to me.
She offered to speak with me about what helped her and I eventually stopped having panic attacks. I was beyond grateful.
The magic ingredient for me was providing evidence that I was safe.
My therapist told me to tell myself I was safe after he diagnosed me in 2024 with medical PTSD but I never believed it.
6/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I posted about my PTSD on Facebook. Several people reached out but one friend’s message really spoke to me.
She offered to speak with me about what helped her and I eventually stopped having panic attacks. I was beyond grateful.
The magic ingredient for me was providing evidence that I was safe.
My therapist told me to tell myself I was safe after he diagnosed me in 2024 with medical PTSD but I never believed it.
6/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I started stepping into my authenticity. It was not easy. Little things like sharing an unpopular opinion. Or completely owning the things I loved instead of hiding.
Sharing parts of myself I previously hid. That included sharing my struggles with PTSD and panic attacks.
Shame had me trying to hide since I was having daily panic attacks for almost 3 months. I decided to reach out to my HR department at work in 2025.
5/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I started stepping into my authenticity. It was not easy. Little things like sharing an unpopular opinion. Or completely owning the things I loved instead of hiding.
Sharing parts of myself I previously hid. That included sharing my struggles with PTSD and panic attacks.
Shame had me trying to hide since I was having daily panic attacks for almost 3 months. I decided to reach out to my HR department at work in 2025.
5/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
He has been a steady presence for me during my darkest times.
He helped me learn how to be with my feelings instead of pushing them down. He was a safe space for me to be my authentic self.
He helped me identify what brings me joy and planning to bring more of that into my life.
Learning that how I talk to myself matters. Switching from listening to my inner critic to challenging it. Thoughts are not facts.
4/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
He has been a steady presence for me during my darkest times.
He helped me learn how to be with my feelings instead of pushing them down. He was a safe space for me to be my authentic self.
He helped me identify what brings me joy and planning to bring more of that into my life.
Learning that how I talk to myself matters. Switching from listening to my inner critic to challenging it. Thoughts are not facts.
4/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I believe that making my mental health a priority was the first step years ago.
The grief I experienced after losing my first parent (my dad) in 2020 caused me to seek therapy.
I’ve had my therapist for many years now. I originally had limited sessions with a counsellor through my work benefits and she helped me through the initial grief. When I was still struggling months later, I sought out a therapist.
2/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
Our sessions are virtual since he is in Toronto. He helped me see how I was not caring for myself.
He worked with me to incorporate self-care into my days. Things like preparing healthy meals for myself and getting myself into nature.
His words to me in 2023 inspired me to reach out to others and finally accept help. He told me my self-isolation was harming me and that I needed others.
I’m so grateful for him.
3/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
Our sessions are virtual since he is in Toronto. He helped me see how I was not caring for myself.
He worked with me to incorporate self-care into my days. Things like preparing healthy meals for myself and getting myself into nature.
His words to me in 2023 inspired me to reach out to others and finally accept help. He told me my self-isolation was harming me and that I needed others.
I’m so grateful for him.
3/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I believe that making my mental health a priority was the first step years ago.
The grief I experienced after losing my first parent (my dad) in 2020 caused me to seek therapy.
I’ve had my therapist for many years now. I originally had limited sessions with a counsellor through my work benefits and she helped me through the initial grief. When I was still struggling months later, I sought out a therapist.
2/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I am so grateful to be alive.
The many storms that I’ve been through have changed me. But now I feel compelled to help others.
Yesterday a colleague asked me if I could be her therapist. 😃 I’m not a therapist but even my therapist told me in my last session that I could be a therapist. That’s not something I’m interested in but I do want to share what has helped me.
1/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I am so grateful to be alive.
The many storms that I’ve been through have changed me. But now I feel compelled to help others.
Yesterday a colleague asked me if I could be her therapist. 😃 I’m not a therapist but even my therapist told me in my last session that I could be a therapist. That’s not something I’m interested in but I do want to share what has helped me.
1/
💟🌟💟
#SelfCare #SelfCompassion #MentalHealth #LoveStacieBee #StacieBee
-
I've been writing this month's newsletter this morning, which is going to focus on #SelfCompassion, why it can be difficult, but so worthwhile.
I publish it just once a month, so if you'd like an occasional dose of wellbeing in your in-box, you can sign up below:
-
I've been writing this month's newsletter this morning, which is going to focus on #SelfCompassion, why it can be difficult, but so worthwhile.
I publish it just once a month, so if you'd like an occasional dose of wellbeing in your in-box, you can sign up below:
-
Following on from yesterday's #SelfCompassion podcast episode, here's a blog post on why it makes such a difference:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/self-compassion-the-missing-ingredient/
-
Following on from yesterday's #SelfCompassion podcast episode, here's a blog post on why it makes such a difference:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/self-compassion-the-missing-ingredient/
-
Morning all!
🎧 It's #podcast publication day, and the latest episode features an interview with an expert in #SelfCompassion. We explore why it's hard to be kind to ourselves, why it matters to our wellbeing and performance at work, and what we can do to bring self-compassion to life in our everyday routines.
You can find Ep 218 of #MyPocketPsych wherever you get your podcasts, or direct from my website:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/218/ -
Morning all!
🎧 It's #podcast publication day, and the latest episode features an interview with an expert in #SelfCompassion. We explore why it's hard to be kind to ourselves, why it matters to our wellbeing and performance at work, and what we can do to bring self-compassion to life in our everyday routines.
You can find Ep 218 of #MyPocketPsych wherever you get your podcasts, or direct from my website:
https://www.worklifepsych.com/podcast/218/ -
“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” Martin Luther
What if today we replaced just one worry with one hope?
We may not have all the answers, but hope reminds us that possibilities still exist.
🧡
#hope #belief #SelfCompassion
Art work by anxiety.positive -
You would never say to a friend half the things you say to yourself.
Karuna is compassion, and it is owed to you too. Start treating that inner voice like it is talking to someone worth protecting. Because it is.
#SelfLove #SelfCompassion #Mindfulness #Buddhism -
You would never say to a friend half the things you say to yourself.
Karuna is compassion, and it is owed to you too. Start treating that inner voice like it is talking to someone worth protecting. Because it is.
#SelfLove #SelfCompassion #Mindfulness #Buddhism -
DATE: July 6, 2026 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: How a single mindful moment improves mental health for days
URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-a-single-mindful-moment-improves-mental-health-for-days/
A new study published in Mindfulness demonstrates how daily habits of mental awareness translate into better psychological health. Researchers found that distinct aspects of mindfulness improve well-being by reducing intrusive worries and boosting supportive emotions like self-compassion. By tracking participants day by day, the study establishes an ongoing chain of events where a focused mental state feeds directly into lasting emotional improvements.
Many psychologists define mindfulness as the practice of maintaining explicit awareness of the present moment with a curious and accepting attitude. Previous studies routinely measured participants before and after a weeks-long training program. This approach missed the daily fluctuations in mood and failed to capture the specific steps that convert a brief mindful state into lasting psychological benefits.
Instead of viewing mindfulness as a permanent personality habit, the researchers wanted to understand it as a temporary state of being. Traditional psychology research often focuses on group differences, asking whether generally mindful individuals are happier than distracted individuals. While informative, this approach does not capture how therapeutic changes actually take hold within an individual mind over time.
The research team wanted to map the exact sequence of events connecting an instance of awareness to feeling better a day or two later. Paul Verhaeghen from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Shelley Aikman from the University of North Georgia, and Nilam Ram from Stanford University conducted the research.
To track these daily changes, the researchers recruited 264 college students. Roughly half the participants enrolled in an eight-week mindfulness program tailored for young adults. The remaining students served as a waitlist control group.
The training involved small daily doses of meditation and mindful routines. Students practiced techniques like body scan meditation, breath-focused exercises, and mindful eating. They were instructed to practice these routines for ten to twenty minutes a day, and they also chose one ordinary daily activity to perform with deliberate attention.
Rather than relying on retrospective questionnaires, the researchers used a smartphone application to prompt participants four times a day. When the alert sounded, participants had a short window to answer questions about their current state of mind. These regular check-ins assessed their immediate level of mindfulness, mental health indicators like depression and stress, and potential intermediary factors predicting mood changes.
The researchers focused on four specific intermediary factors to explain how mindfulness functionally works. The first was rumination, which involves getting stuck in repetitive negative thoughts about oneself. The second factor was cognitive interference, defined as distracting or intrusive worries that disrupt focus.
The final two factors focused on positive emotions. Self-compassion involves treating oneself with kindness and understanding during moments of difficulty. Self-transcendence describes the experience of connecting to something larger than oneself, often characterized by bursts of joy, awe, or a sense of closeness to others.
Using statistical models that look at delayed effects across consecutive days, the researchers established a temporal sequence. They found that heightened mindfulness on one day directly reduced rumination and cognitive interference on the following day. These reductions then improved overall mental health and general wellness on the third day. Because the study tracked symptoms as they happened over time, the researchers concluded that this represents a causal flow of influence.
Different elements of mindfulness sparked different internal pathways. The psychological concept of mindfulness can be split into two main facets. One facet is simply observing experiences, and the other is actively accepting them without judgment. The smartphone data showed that these two mental habits operate differently in the brain.
Actively accepting experiences without judgment primarily functioned by quieting the mind. When participants practiced nonjudgment, they experienced lower levels of rumination and mental distraction the next day. This quieted state then paved the way for lower anxiety and depression.
Conversely, merely observing one’s thoughts without reacting led to a separate set of benefits. Increased observation was linked to higher levels of self-compassion and more frequent feelings of awe or joy. These positive emotional states fully explained the subsequent improvements in mental health and flourishing.
Of all the intermediary factors, cognitive interference emerged as the strongest mechanism for positive change. When mindfulness reduced the number of distracting, intrusive thoughts, it accounted for nearly all the subsequent improvements in mental well-being. By freeing the mind from excessive self-preoccupation, participants found a reliable route to lower stress and elevated mood.
The study also revealed that these beneficial factors influence each other continuously. Reducing negative thoughts made it easier for a participant to feel self-compassion later on. A single day of focused mindfulness ignited an ongoing feedback loop of psychological benefits, with positive effects rippling through a person’s mood for up to four days.
The cascading nature of these effects helps explain why mindfulness exercises seem to improve so many loosely related aspects of life simultaneously. No single mechanism handles every psychological benefit. Reducing rumination does not directly create joy, but it clears the path for awe and self-compassion, which in turn lift a person’s overall spirits.
The researchers examined whether participating in the formal eight-week training altered these internal pathways. They found that group membership did not modify the mechanical sequence of psychological events. The students in the experimental group experienced the exact same internal cascade as the control group.
This suggests that the formal training program did not invent a new way for the brain to process stress. Instead, the daily meditation simply increased the participants’ baseline volume of mindfulness. This elevated awareness then fed more energy into a natural healing sequence that all people inherently share.
The specific demographic of the participants presents a limitation to the study. The researchers studied college students taking remote classes during the pandemic. The remote nature of the training and the distinct stresses of being a university student might limit how broadly the results apply to the general public or to in-person clinical settings.
The demanding survey schedule also resulted in a relatively low response rate. Participants answered about 46 percent of the daily smartphone prompts. The research team deliberately chose frequent check-ins to gather detailed data on short-lived emotions, trading perfect attendance for a highly granular view of daily psychological changes.
Future investigations will need to identify the minimum dose of meditation required to sustain these beneficial feedback loops. The researchers suggest that alternative therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, might activate these same internal pathways without requiring formal meditation. Treating mental health might ultimately rely on finding multiple ways to quiet self-preoccupation and foster self-compassion.
The study, “Free Your Mind and Mental Health and Wellbeing Will Follow: Evidence from Across-Day Within-Person Mediation in an Eight-Week Mindfulness RCT,” was authored by Paul Verhaeghen, Shelley Aikman, and Nilam Ram.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-a-single-mindful-moment-improves-mental-health-for-days/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MindfulnessEffects #MentalHealthToday #DailyMindfulness #ReduceRumination #CognitiveInterference #SelfCompassion #SelfTranscendence #PresentMomentAwareness #MindfulLiving #WellBeingBoost
-
DATE: July 6, 2026 at 08:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: How a single mindful moment improves mental health for days
URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-a-single-mindful-moment-improves-mental-health-for-days/
A new study published in Mindfulness demonstrates how daily habits of mental awareness translate into better psychological health. Researchers found that distinct aspects of mindfulness improve well-being by reducing intrusive worries and boosting supportive emotions like self-compassion. By tracking participants day by day, the study establishes an ongoing chain of events where a focused mental state feeds directly into lasting emotional improvements.
Many psychologists define mindfulness as the practice of maintaining explicit awareness of the present moment with a curious and accepting attitude. Previous studies routinely measured participants before and after a weeks-long training program. This approach missed the daily fluctuations in mood and failed to capture the specific steps that convert a brief mindful state into lasting psychological benefits.
Instead of viewing mindfulness as a permanent personality habit, the researchers wanted to understand it as a temporary state of being. Traditional psychology research often focuses on group differences, asking whether generally mindful individuals are happier than distracted individuals. While informative, this approach does not capture how therapeutic changes actually take hold within an individual mind over time.
The research team wanted to map the exact sequence of events connecting an instance of awareness to feeling better a day or two later. Paul Verhaeghen from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Shelley Aikman from the University of North Georgia, and Nilam Ram from Stanford University conducted the research.
To track these daily changes, the researchers recruited 264 college students. Roughly half the participants enrolled in an eight-week mindfulness program tailored for young adults. The remaining students served as a waitlist control group.
The training involved small daily doses of meditation and mindful routines. Students practiced techniques like body scan meditation, breath-focused exercises, and mindful eating. They were instructed to practice these routines for ten to twenty minutes a day, and they also chose one ordinary daily activity to perform with deliberate attention.
Rather than relying on retrospective questionnaires, the researchers used a smartphone application to prompt participants four times a day. When the alert sounded, participants had a short window to answer questions about their current state of mind. These regular check-ins assessed their immediate level of mindfulness, mental health indicators like depression and stress, and potential intermediary factors predicting mood changes.
The researchers focused on four specific intermediary factors to explain how mindfulness functionally works. The first was rumination, which involves getting stuck in repetitive negative thoughts about oneself. The second factor was cognitive interference, defined as distracting or intrusive worries that disrupt focus.
The final two factors focused on positive emotions. Self-compassion involves treating oneself with kindness and understanding during moments of difficulty. Self-transcendence describes the experience of connecting to something larger than oneself, often characterized by bursts of joy, awe, or a sense of closeness to others.
Using statistical models that look at delayed effects across consecutive days, the researchers established a temporal sequence. They found that heightened mindfulness on one day directly reduced rumination and cognitive interference on the following day. These reductions then improved overall mental health and general wellness on the third day. Because the study tracked symptoms as they happened over time, the researchers concluded that this represents a causal flow of influence.
Different elements of mindfulness sparked different internal pathways. The psychological concept of mindfulness can be split into two main facets. One facet is simply observing experiences, and the other is actively accepting them without judgment. The smartphone data showed that these two mental habits operate differently in the brain.
Actively accepting experiences without judgment primarily functioned by quieting the mind. When participants practiced nonjudgment, they experienced lower levels of rumination and mental distraction the next day. This quieted state then paved the way for lower anxiety and depression.
Conversely, merely observing one’s thoughts without reacting led to a separate set of benefits. Increased observation was linked to higher levels of self-compassion and more frequent feelings of awe or joy. These positive emotional states fully explained the subsequent improvements in mental health and flourishing.
Of all the intermediary factors, cognitive interference emerged as the strongest mechanism for positive change. When mindfulness reduced the number of distracting, intrusive thoughts, it accounted for nearly all the subsequent improvements in mental well-being. By freeing the mind from excessive self-preoccupation, participants found a reliable route to lower stress and elevated mood.
The study also revealed that these beneficial factors influence each other continuously. Reducing negative thoughts made it easier for a participant to feel self-compassion later on. A single day of focused mindfulness ignited an ongoing feedback loop of psychological benefits, with positive effects rippling through a person’s mood for up to four days.
The cascading nature of these effects helps explain why mindfulness exercises seem to improve so many loosely related aspects of life simultaneously. No single mechanism handles every psychological benefit. Reducing rumination does not directly create joy, but it clears the path for awe and self-compassion, which in turn lift a person’s overall spirits.
The researchers examined whether participating in the formal eight-week training altered these internal pathways. They found that group membership did not modify the mechanical sequence of psychological events. The students in the experimental group experienced the exact same internal cascade as the control group.
This suggests that the formal training program did not invent a new way for the brain to process stress. Instead, the daily meditation simply increased the participants’ baseline volume of mindfulness. This elevated awareness then fed more energy into a natural healing sequence that all people inherently share.
The specific demographic of the participants presents a limitation to the study. The researchers studied college students taking remote classes during the pandemic. The remote nature of the training and the distinct stresses of being a university student might limit how broadly the results apply to the general public or to in-person clinical settings.
The demanding survey schedule also resulted in a relatively low response rate. Participants answered about 46 percent of the daily smartphone prompts. The research team deliberately chose frequent check-ins to gather detailed data on short-lived emotions, trading perfect attendance for a highly granular view of daily psychological changes.
Future investigations will need to identify the minimum dose of meditation required to sustain these beneficial feedback loops. The researchers suggest that alternative therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, might activate these same internal pathways without requiring formal meditation. Treating mental health might ultimately rely on finding multiple ways to quiet self-preoccupation and foster self-compassion.
The study, “Free Your Mind and Mental Health and Wellbeing Will Follow: Evidence from Across-Day Within-Person Mediation in an Eight-Week Mindfulness RCT,” was authored by Paul Verhaeghen, Shelley Aikman, and Nilam Ram.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/how-a-single-mindful-moment-improves-mental-health-for-days/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #MindfulnessEffects #MentalHealthToday #DailyMindfulness #ReduceRumination #CognitiveInterference #SelfCompassion #SelfTranscendence #PresentMomentAwareness #MindfulLiving #WellBeingBoost
-
Summer self-care. By Blessing Manifesting
#selfcare #selflove #wellness #mentalhealth #selfcarematters #selfcareroutine #selfcaresunday #selfcaredaily #selfcarefirst #selfcaretips #selfcarequotes #selfcareeveryday #mentalwellness #selfcompassion #ymhc -
Summer self-care. By Blessing Manifesting
#selfcare #selflove #wellness #mentalhealth #selfcarematters #selfcareroutine #selfcaresunday #selfcaredaily #selfcarefirst #selfcaretips #selfcarequotes #selfcareeveryday #mentalwellness #selfcompassion #ymhc -
The first time I ate cheese after ten years of being vegan, I cried.
Not from guilt, but relief. A deep thank-you I'd spent a decade trying not to hear.
Have you ever felt your body asking for something your mind wasn't ready to give?
Read the full story
https://medium.com/@clarainsweden/the-vegetarian-middle-path-after-years-of-being-vegan-9dcfbd0a4d17
#veganism #bodylistening #ahimsa
#plantbased #intuitiveeating #yogaphilosophy
#mindfulness #selfcompassion #wellness