Cancer: Mindfulness, psychotherapy and coping with cancer

The oldest description of cancer comes from a document in Egypt over 3,000 years ago. It has been one of the most persistent illnesses afflicting man since the beginning of time.

However, modern medicine has made tremendous strides in the past few decades eradicating this disease, so people can live longer, productive lives.

Nowhere is this truer than in the field of psychotherapy. Over the past few years, numerous research reports have discussed the benefits of using this treatment for patients.

Our society has finally reached a point where we understand as much about the disease as we do about the way it affects patients’ emotions throughout the process. Particularly, the evidence shows that mindfulness meditation positively reduced the symptoms of cancer, as well as improve your quality of live.

In some of these studies it has been proven that meditation helps cancer patients improve their mood and concentration.

While the evidence is inconclusive how much mindfulness meditation can prevent, treat, or cure cancer, it does have secondary benefits that can only be good for people going through the disease.

One study of 90 cancer patients using mindfulness stress based reduction (MBSR) meditation for 7 weeks discovered that their meditation reduced stress symptoms by 31% and mood disturbances by 67%.

Another study showed that when mindfulness meditation occurs alongside modern medicine patients feel more optimistic about their treatment. This in and of itself can be beneficial to the treatment process for a multitude of reasons.

The medical field has long been partial to the idea that chronic stress can cause other, unrelated medical issues that could complicate the recovery process.

This is why it is so important to use mindfulness meditation in a proper way that helps the body fuel the recovery process.

Young asian woman meditating on the beach.

How do you use Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness meditation can be done with a few simple steps every day.

1. Relax in the present moment. Finding a quiet, comfortable place to think is one of the best ways of getting into the now. Turn off electronics, except for a MSBR meditation recording.

2. Start breathing in and out, deeply and fully, releasing tension that might be harmful to your body.

Check with your body to determine how it feels. Keep breathing in and out.

3. Do this every day at least once or twice for 20-30 minutes. As you get better, you begin to control your mind better and it makes sense that you might want to do it at places where you are stressed.

Final Thoughts

Mindfulness meditation might sound like some new age idea to help people before modern medicine. However, the truth is that many of the principles discussed here work for people for ages.

We share the same biochemistry as most of our ancestors did, and this makes sense that we can still use this practice to refresh our mind when needed.

Let us know in the comment area below what you find to be the best part of your mindfulness meditation.