Dr. Perez Mijares specializes in the treatment of anxiety through Mindfulness techniques. These techniques from relaxation and meditation have other practical applications and can be of great help to increase the quality of life. The psychologist explains what this therapy consists of and how it can be beneficial.
A treatment for anxiety
Anxiety is an emotional response that makes us perceive innocuous situations as dangerous, often in everyday life, such as, for example, riding the subway, being in a crowded place, riding in an elevator, etc. Many hospitals choose to use a therapy called Mindfulness to lower these anxiety levels.
Anxiety arises from negative thoughts (for example: if I get on the elevator, it will run aground and I will run out of air). Therefore, Mindfulness proposes to be present in what we do, but without judging what happens to us. Thus, for example, if our heart beats a little faster, we will not think “I’m having a heart attack”, but “my heart is racing a little”.
Mindfulness in daily life
Mindfulness emerged in the USA during the seventies and is a fusion of a series of meditation and relaxation techniques that encourage us to be fully aware of what we do and live in each moment. Although it may seem obvious, it turns out that we are not usually as present in our lives as we think. For example, when we ride the subway, we are usually thinking about what we will do when we arrive at our destination, and that is why we are not fully living that moment of our life.
When we remove this “automatic pilot” and start living our lives, Mindfulness makes us feel happier immediately because we pay attention to every detail. In a patient diagnosed with anxiety, these improvements are effective, as long as the patient commits to the exercises. Therapy can be combined, for example, with Cognitive Restructuring techniques that help to eradicate negative thoughts.
In addition to lowering anxiety levels, Mindfulness can be helpful in calming stress and even reducing physical pain. Its harmless techniques produce an enormous well-being, since, in general, being more connected with what we do helps us in any vital process. Living in full awareness makes us happier.