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rubyrlovesbooks 's review for:
The Mindful Way Through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness
by Mark Williams, Zindel V. Segal, John Teasdale
I listened to this as an audiobook as part of an app on my iPad. I have also been practicing the Body Scan meditation for about a month now, and attempting a few of the techniques in my day-to-day life. I am really finding it helpful, not just in terms of my mental health, but in other areas of my life. I am more aware of what and how I eat. I am tuning in more often to how my body feels and my surroundings.
I have caught myself at the point of reacting and observed, allowing me a more considered response. As a fairly blunt and hot-blooded sort of person, I am quite surprised that it is not as difficult as I have thought. In short, I feel like applying the teachings in this book is REALLY helping me at this stage in my life. I think the book is definitely experiential, and for those with iPads, I recommend the app. Actually following the instructions and doing the (very simple) activities is what makes this book good. You get out what you put in, sort of thing.
As for me, I will continue to use the meditations and body scan which are provided in the audiobook - it is a part of my day I am really cherishing. Definitely worth every cent I paid for it.
As for its efficacy in helping people with depression: well, I would definitely say that it works better to prevent relapse than to pull someone out of a depression (as Williams himself says). When I started doing the body scan, I was coming off heavy medication and one side effect was severe depression. I did it every day but I didn't notice a huge amount of relief. It doesn't really work that way, for me, at least. A couple of weeks later when my new medication began to kick in, I felt that the body scan in particular gave my mind some training wheels until I found my own stability. It is only now that the meds have fully worked their magic that I can see the benefits the meditation has on my life. In general, I feel far more equipped to deal with life's curveballs and even though I have only been practicing every day for a short time, I can see why it is now covered by Medicare and Britain's NHS for mental health care. SO valuable.
A great investment, provided it doesn't just sit dormant on an iPad.
I have caught myself at the point of reacting and observed, allowing me a more considered response. As a fairly blunt and hot-blooded sort of person, I am quite surprised that it is not as difficult as I have thought. In short, I feel like applying the teachings in this book is REALLY helping me at this stage in my life. I think the book is definitely experiential, and for those with iPads, I recommend the app. Actually following the instructions and doing the (very simple) activities is what makes this book good. You get out what you put in, sort of thing.
As for me, I will continue to use the meditations and body scan which are provided in the audiobook - it is a part of my day I am really cherishing. Definitely worth every cent I paid for it.
As for its efficacy in helping people with depression: well, I would definitely say that it works better to prevent relapse than to pull someone out of a depression (as Williams himself says). When I started doing the body scan, I was coming off heavy medication and one side effect was severe depression. I did it every day but I didn't notice a huge amount of relief. It doesn't really work that way, for me, at least. A couple of weeks later when my new medication began to kick in, I felt that the body scan in particular gave my mind some training wheels until I found my own stability. It is only now that the meds have fully worked their magic that I can see the benefits the meditation has on my life. In general, I feel far more equipped to deal with life's curveballs and even though I have only been practicing every day for a short time, I can see why it is now covered by Medicare and Britain's NHS for mental health care. SO valuable.
A great investment, provided it doesn't just sit dormant on an iPad.