USING BREATHING AND MEDITATIVE TECHNIQUES TO DEAL WITH UNCERTAINTY AND ANXIETY: A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
PDF

Keywords

anxiety
COVID-19
meditation
breathing
mindfulness

Number of views: 871


Number of downloads: 661

Abstract

The scale of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to adversely affect the mental health of a large number of people. In this Note, the author shares her strategies for dealing with uncertainty and anxiety. Recounting her personal experiences, she reveals how simple breathing exercises and meditation practices helped her accept and respond to a traumatic experience as well as an unexpected illness. A number of studies appear to support the view that breathing exercises and meditation can help people manage anxiety. It is suggested that these studies highlight the relevance and value of these practices in the current distressing conditions.

https://doi.org/10.14746/sr.2020.4.2.11
PDF

References

“Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) National Health Plan.” Australian Department of Health. Retrieved March 30, 2020 (https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/covid-19-national-health-plan-supporting-the-mental-health-of-australians-through-the-coronavirus-pandemic.pdf).

Blum, Harrison, Christopher Rutt, Carol Nash, Victoria Joyce and Ralph Buonopane. 2019. “Mindfulness Meditation and Anxiety in Adolescents on an Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.” Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 1-19.

Carpena, Marina Xavier, Patrice de Souza Tavares and Carolina Baptista Menezes. 2019. “The Effect of a Six-Week Focused Meditation Training on Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Brazilian University Students with 6 and 12 Months of Follow-up.” Journal of Affective Disorders 246:401-407.

Chen, Yu, Xueling Yang, Liyuan Wang and Xiaoyuan Zhang. 2013. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Brief Mindfulness Meditation on Anxiety Symptoms and Systolic Blood Pressure in Chinese Nursing Students.” Nurse Education Today 33:1166-1172.

Chiang, Li-Chi, Wei-Fen Ma, Jing-Long Huang, Li-Feng Tseng and Kai-Chung Hsueh. 2009. “Effect of Relaxation-Breathing Training on Anxiety and Asthma Signs/Symptoms of Children with Moderate-to-Severe Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” International Journal of Nursing Studies 46:1061-1070.

Decker, James T, Jodi L Constantine Brown, Wendy Ashley and Allen E Lipscomb. 2019. “Mindfulness, Meditation, and Breathing Exercises: Reduced Anxiety for Clients and Self-Care for Social Work Interns.” Social Work with Groups 42(4): 308-322.

Delmonte, M M. 1985. “Meditation and Anxiety Reduction: A Literature Review”. Clinical Psychology Review 5:91-102.

Edwards, Meghan K, Simon Rosenbaum and Paul D. Loprinzi. 2018. “Differential Experimental Effects of a Short Bout of Walking, Meditation, or Combination of Walking and Meditation on State Anxiety Among Young Adults.” American Journal of Health Promotion 32(4):949-958.

Han, J N, K Stegen, C De Valck, J Clement and K P Van de Woestijne. 1996. “Influence of Breathing Therapy on Complaints, Anxiety and Breathing Pattern in Patients with Hyperventilation Syndrome and Anxiety Disorders.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 41(5):481-493.

“Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety.” 2020. Harvard Medical School. Retrieved on March 30, 2020 (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coping-with-coronavirus-anxiety-2020031219183).

Hayama, Yuka and Tomoko Inoue. 2012. “The Effects of Deep Breathing on ‘Tension- Anxiety’ and Fatigue in Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Chemotherapy.” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 18:94-98.

“We’re Here for You.” 2020. Headspace. Retrieved March 30, 2020 (https://www.headspace.com/covid-19).

Hoge, Elizabeth A, Brittany M. Guidos, Mihriye Mete, Eric Bui, Mark H. Pollack, Naomi M Simon and Mary Ann Dutton. 2017. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 95:7-11.

Hussain, Dilwar and Braj Bhushan. 2010. “Psychology of Meditation and Health: Present Status and Future Directions.” International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy 10(3):439-451.

Joshi, Rupali. 2014. “Stress, Depression and Anxiety and Breathing Exercise Among College Going Late Adolescents.” International Journal of Education & Management Studies 4(1):01-11.

Khng, Kiat Hui. 2017. “A Better State-of-Mind: Deep Breathing Reduces State Anxiety and Enhances Test Performance through Regulating Test Cognitions in Children, Cognition and Emotion.” Cognition and Emotion 31(7):1502-1510.

Kim, Sunyoung, Walton T Roth and Eileen Wollburg. 2015. “Effects of Therapeutic Relationship, Expectancy, and Credibility in Breathing Therapies for Anxiety.” Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic 79(2):116-130.

Kim, Yeon Hee, Hwa Jung Kim, Seung Do Ahn, Yun Jeong Seo and So Hee Kim. 2013. “Effects of Meditation on Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, and Quality of Life of Women Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine 21:379-387.

La Torre, Mary Anne. 2001. “Meditation and Psychotherapy: An Effective Combination.” Perspectives in Psychiatric Care 37(3):103-106.

Leite, José Roberto, Felipe Leite de Moraes Ornellas, Tascila Mary Amemiya, Anna Alice Figueirêdo de Almeida, Arnaldo Aparecido Dias, Rui Afonso, Stephen Little and Elisa Kozasa. 2010. “Effect of Progressive Self-Focus Meditation on Attention, Anxiety, and Depression Scores.” Perceptual and Motor Skills 110(3):840-848.

Lin, Feng‐Lien, Mei‐Ling Yeh, Yeur‐Hur Lai, Kuan-Chia Lin, Chong‐Jen Yu and Jung‐San Chang. 2019. “Two‐month Breathing‐Based Walking Improves Anxiety, Depression, Dyspnoea and Quality of Life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomised Controlled Study.” Journal of Clinical Nursing 28: 3632–3640.

Lin, Peter, Joanne Chang, Vance Zemon and Elizabeth Midlarsky. 2008. “Silent Illumination: A Study on Chan (Zen) Meditation, Anxiety, and Musical Performance Quality.” Psychology of Music 36(2):139-155.

Manocha, R, D Black, J Sarris and C Stough. 2011. “A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Meditation for Work Stress, Anxiety and Depressed Mood in Full-Time Workers.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 3:1-8.

Menezes, Carolina Baptista and Lisiane Bizarro. 2015. “Effects of a Brief Meditation Training on Negative Affect, Trait Anxiety and Concentrated Attention.” Paidéia 25(62): 393-401.

Mitrofan, Laurentiu, Mihaela Chraif, Florinda Golu and Emil-Razvan Gatej. 2014. “The Unifying Creative-Meditation Technique and Physiological Measurement of Anxiety in Romanian Amateur Drivers.” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 127: 823 – 827.

Neeru, D C Khakha, S Satapathy and A B Dey. 2015. “Impact of Jacobson Progressive Muscle Relaxation (JPMR) and Deep Breathing Exercises on Anxiety, Psychological Distress and Quality of Sleep of Hospitalised Adults.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 10(2):211-223.

Park, Eunok, Hyunjin Oh and Taeim Kim. 2013. “The Effects of Relaxation Breathing on Procedural Pain and Anxiety During Burn Care.” Burns 39:1101-1106.

Paulus, Martin P. 2013. “The Breathing Conundrum – Interoceptive Sensitivity and Anxiety.” Depression and Anxiety 30:315-320.

Stinson, Cynthia, Eileen Deges Curl, Gina Hale, Stacey Knight, Cynthia Pipkins, Iva Hall, Kelli White, Nancy Thompson and Christy Wright. 2020. Nursing Education Perspectives (forthcoming).

Taco ́n, Anna M, Jacalyn McComb, Yvonne Caldera and Patrick Randolph. 2003. “Mindfulness Meditation, Anxiety Reduction, and Heart Disease: A Pilot Study.” Family & Community Health 26(1):25-33.

Teng, Hsiu-Chin, Mei-Ling Yeh and Mei-Hua Wang. 2018. “Walking with Controlled Breathing Improves Exercise Tolerance, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 17(8): 717–727.

Tiwari, Nupur and David S Baldwin. 2012. “Yogic Breathing Techniques in the Management of Anxiety and Depression: Systematic Review of Evidence of Efficacy and Presumed Mechanism of Action.” Mind & Brain, the Journal of Psychiatry 3(1):14- 22.

Toneatto, Tony and Linda Nguyen. 2007. “Does Mindfulness Meditation Improve Anxiety and Mood Symptoms? A Review of the Controlled Research.” Canadian Journal of Psychiatry 52(4):260-266.

Tweeddale, P M, I Rowbottom and G J R McHardy. 1993. “Breathing Retraining: Effect on Anxiety and Depression Scores in Behavioural Breathlessness.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research 38(1): 11-21.

“Wellbeing tips for UN Personnel.” 2020. United Nations. Retrieved March 30, 2020 (https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/wellness).

Valenza, Marie Carmen, Geraldine Valenza-Pena, Irene Torres-Sanchez, Emilio Gonzalez-Jimenez, Alicia Conde-Valero and Gerald Valenza-Demet. 2014. “Effectiveness of Controlled Breathing Techniques on Anxiety and Depression in Hospitalized Patients with COPD: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Respiratory Care 59(2):209-215.

Wells, Ruth, Tim Outhred, James A J Heathers, Daniel S Quintana and Andrew H Kemp. 2012. “Matter Over Mind: A Randomised-Controlled Trial of Single-Session Biofeedback Training on Performance Anxiety and Heart Rate Variability in Musicians.” PLoS One 7(10): Retrieved March 28, 2020 (https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0046597).