Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one's
attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without
judgment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation and
through other training.
Mindfulness is derived from sati, a significant element of Buddhist
traditions, and based on Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation
techniques.
Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a
number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping
people experiencing a variety of psychological conditions.
Mindfulness practice has been employed to reduce symptoms of depression,
to reduce stress, anxiety, and in the treatment of drug addiction.
Research studies have consistently shown a positive relationship between
trait mindfulness and psychological health.
The practice of mindfulness appears to provide therapeutic benefits to
people with psychiatric disorders, including to those with psychosis.
Studies also indicate that rumination and worry contribute to the onset
of a variety of mental disorders, and that mindfulness-based
interventions significantly reduce both rumination and worry. Further,
the practice of mindfulness may be a preventive strategy to halt the
development of mental-health problems.
The necessity for more high-quality research in this field has also been
identified—such as the need for more randomized controlled studies, for
providing more methodological details in reported studies and for the
use of larger sample sizes.