Meditation may help treat anxiety

Meditation and mindfulness meditation in particular  have been trending in popular culture in recent years and have been found to be beneficial in treating anxiety. There is a fair amount of existing research  that suggests  meditation  changes the way  our brain functions  and our brain structure.

Research recently discussed through media outlet Forbes looked at a small sample size  of people with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)  nearly 20,000,000 people will have  symptoms consistent with this diagnosis at some point in their lifetimes. a unique aspect of this study  was that participants were applied to a mindfulness  stress reduction treatment  or a stress management education course.  The hope was that this would eliminate  some of the placebo affect in previous studies on mindfulness meditation  that offered a treatment and nontreatment group only. initial findings from the study suggests that individuals who engaged in the mindfulness stress reduction treatment had significantly lower levels of stress markers ACTH, IL-6 and TNF-α.

There have been a number of findings consistent with the potential benefit of mindfulness meditation  for treating anxiety. A 2009 study on Anxiety, from Harvard, looked at the connection between stress reduction and changes in brain structure. This study suggested that an eight week trial of meditation can change the structure of the amygdala, a part of our brain that responds  to stress and arousal. These changes to the amygdala  were found to correlate  with one’s  perception of reduced stress. Slightly different but in a similar vein a 2013 meta-analysis from Johns Hopkins suggested  that meditation was linked significantly with reduced anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Information presented in this  entry is not intended  to treat or diagnose any medical or mental health disorder.  In addition, the techniques referenced in this article are likely to be most beneficial  when implemented under the guidance of a trained professional.

Can people change or is personality set?

A recent study found  that personality can change more than we once thought.  It was believed that  once personality  develops it is generally set and only able to change slightly over a significant period of time. A new study finds, that with therapy or counseling, with a professional,  personality  is able to change more rapidly and  significantly  than we once believed.

This study looked at over 200 published research papers. These papers all assessed personality traits as an outcome  of different kinds  of therapy or counseling. This review was published  in the Journal  psychological bulletin on January 5  and offers powerful suggestions that personality is not a static  as we once  expected.

This research does not  mean that we are rapidly able to change personality characteristics. In fact who we are does not tend to change in therapy  but we are able to influence  our reactions and awareness  to our own thoughts and feelings as well as input from others. When working with couples, Dr. Davenport has frequently seen a spouse wanting to change the other  tomorrow or in coming weeks. Unfortunately,  this is not likely realistic. However, focusing on  one aspect of who we are  and looking at it for many facets does have  opportunity change over time which this research supports. With many human behaviors slow and steady change is more easily  maintained than those shifts that come  rapidly.

There is evidence that people can change later in life  which suggests that enduring personality traits  may be able  to be changed deliberately.  This is in contrast  to previous research  on “big five” personality traits neuroticism, agreeableness, extroversion, and contentiousness which were indicated to be predictive of life success. Although these characteristics are likely adaptive  they may not illustrate  the entire picture. There is some research that indicates  an increase in emotional stability and  contentiousness during young adulthood and midlife.  In addition, openness to new experience tends to increase  during teenage years declining in old age.  This suggests that although some characteristics  may tend to pervade throughout life  there is also a continual shift  as we become more open  to new experience and potential change.

In summary, a new study supports that we’re able to make significant change  in aspects  of our personality  with continued therapy or counseling  with a trained professional.  Please contact  Charles R Davenport PsyD LLC  if you would like  to discuss the counseling or therapy services  this practice can offer you  or a loved one.

Living with regret?

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Regret, and emotion most people are familiar with and one most of us don’t care for. Regret has been defined as the experience we have when we realize we may have had a better outcome  if we chose differently. Many times having more opportunities  can create a greater opportunity  for regret (Roese, N & Summerville, A.). This doesn’t mean  that we should live lives striving for less opportunity. It does suggest that as our lives have become increasingly more complex, potentially as a result of more opportunity, successfully managing regret could be a powerful benefit.

There are several common ways regret presents itself in our lives:

1. Opportunities lost– When we feel that we missed opportunities we are at greater risk for feeling regret. The more opportunities we think we lost the more regret we are likely to feel.
2. Belief that we can make a difference– Feeling that we can make a difference in our world is generally good. If something doesn’t turn out as we would like and we feel that we should have been able to influence it we are more likely to feel regret in how we proceeded.
3. Close but not exactly what we expect– When we take on a task or challenge and get close to our goal we are more likely to feel regret than if we are nowhere our goal. The proximity to our goal without completely reaching seems to enhance the likelihood of regret. It might service better to reward ourselves for working toward a goal independent of the outcome.
4. Having the opportunity to change our mind– If we take a plan of action and are not able to revisit or redo any steps of it we are more likely to move forward without regret. it is possible this is allowing us to focus on what we can do next or how we can learn from the past rather than getting caught in uncertainty surrounding making the “best decision.” for example, shoppers are happier when they can’t get a refund rather than wondering if they should seek a refund.

Charles R Davenport, Psy.D., LLC.  provides therapy and counseling services in Venice, Florida and Sarasota, Florida. Dr. Charles R Davenport is a Licensed Psychologist who works with individuals and couples to find change in their lives. If you or someone you know is struggling with regret please feel free to contact the office at 941-321-1971.

Charles R. Davenport, Psy.D., LLC. Licensed Psychologist- Dr. Charles R. Davenport