Mindfulness for Depression: An ‘Affective’ Anchor

Mindfulness and Depression

In a world with many demands on our time with little opportunities for rest, depression has become more common than many realise. Whether you’re directly experiencing it yourself or know a loved one who is, knowing the available management tools makes a significant difference. One such tool—grounded in both ancient wisdom and modern science—is mindfulness.

What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally focusing attention into the present moment, without judgment. It means noticing your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and environment as they are, rather than trying to escape, fight, or fix them in the moment. The important part is to avoid trying to fix or judging the things you are noticing. For example, avoid saying things to yourself like “snap out of it” or “what do you have to be depressed about?” Just accept the feelings and sensations and allow them to be noticed more and more.

While mindfulness has become synonymous with Western psychology over time, its roots lie in Buddhist meditation practices from over 2,500 years ago. Recently, it has been adapted and validated in psychological therapies like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as a more evidence-based practice.

The Effect of Mindfulness Depression?

Depression is more than just feeling low or sad. As I have seen with my clients, it is often a complex mix of persistent sadness, emotional numbness, fatigue, emptiness, lack of motivation, poor concentration, sleep and appetite changes, hopelessness, and self-criticism. Mindfulness helps tackle these symptoms in the following ways.

1. Interrupting the Cycle of Negative Thinking and Rumination

Mindfulness trains the brain to observe negative thoughts at a safe distance. It prevents us becoming entangled and stuck in the negative thoughts. Instead of spiralling into narratives such as “I’m worthless” or “it will never improve,” mindfulness helps you to objectively observe these thoughts as mental events instead of accepting them as reality-based facts. Over time, this reduces rumination, or getting “stuck” in cycles of pessimistic thinking that a person cannot escape from which intensifies over time.

2. Regulating the Nervous System

Mindfulness activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This is our body's natural "rest and digest" mode- the opposite of our “flight or fight” mode. This calms the amygdala, the part of the brain involved in fear and emotional regulation. It also strengthens the prefrontal cortex, improving rational thinking and emotional control as well as other more higher functioning aspects of our cognition. This shift helps to bring balance to counteract the physiological stress responses often heightened in depression that lingers. Although depression cannot be cured, a person can actively ease the distress caused by depressive states as seen with many of my clients.

3. Reconnecting with the Body

Most of my clients in their first sessions report feeling emotionally and physically numb. Mindfulness fosters mindful body awareness, such as focusing on the breath or their senses. This gently reconnects people with their internal world where the numbness is negated. This can reduce dissociation and foster a greater sense of being present in their daily experiences.

4. Improving Sleep and Fatigue

In it’s utility in calming a busy mind, mindfulness is particularly helpful in improving sleep quality and reducing fatigue. A regular practice can help establish an unwinding routine that relaxes the nervous system before bed.

5. Building Compassion for the Self

Depression is often linked to intense self-criticism and guilt. Mindfulness encourages a non-judgmental stance, which helps cultivate self-compassion. Learning to love ourselves without judgment is one of the hardest things to do but one of the most effective antidotes to shame, guilt, and critical self-narratives.

Simple Mindfulness Exercises for Daily Use

Clients often think mindfulness involves some deep meditation and spiritual ceremony. It is a simple practice that you can do throughout your day. Although there are many that are available, I have selected 4 that can be done even in the workplace where no-one will notice. Here are a few beginner-friendly exercises to try:

1. Adapted Box Breathing (4-4-6-4 Breathing)

• Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds

• Hold your breath for 4 seconds

• Exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds. In my experience, it is better to have a longer exhale.

• Hold again for 4 seconds
  Repeat for 4–6 cycles. This technique calms the nervous system and grounds the mind.

• Throughout this exercise, use diaphragmatic breathing which almost feels like breathing into your stomach. Your stomach will be moving instead of your shoulders when you breathe.

• If you feel light-headed or dizzy just breathe normally again for a while before trying the exercise again. When you are not used to oxygen-rich air, it can make you dizzy.

2. Five Senses Grounding

Take a moment and note:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can feel

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

  
  This helps focus your mind on the present moment and away from repetitive pessimistic patterns of thinking. How much of our stress is caused by regrets of the past or fear of the future? It is hard to do this when you are focusing on the present moment.

3. Mindful Walking

While walking, pay attention to the sensations you are experiencing. This includes the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm and pace of your steps, the feel of the cool air, and the sounds and sights around you. Avoid distractions like your phone or music—let walking become a form of moving meditation. Listen for as many birds as you can hear. Count the number of different shades of colours you can see.

Even if this is merely a walk from your desk around the office, adapt it as needed. This is an incredible exercise for those with severe loss of motivation to do anything. If you cannot go for that run you planned, go for a 5 minute walk. If you can go for another 5 minutes, then do so. Keep doing this until you wish to stop. A 5-minute walk is not as overwhelming as a 30-minute walk but can often lead to the same outcome!

You can even bring mindfulness into other daily activities in a similar way as described above: washing dishes, eating food, showering etc.

4. Body Scan Meditation

While lying or sitting down, slowly bring your attention to each part of your body—from your toes to the top of your head or vice versa. Notice any tension, tingling, or discomfort without trying to change anything. If you want to bring any sort of change, then just focus on relaxing that part of your body entirely including all the surrounding muscles. Remember not to judge any sensation or try to become too focused on changing the sensations. You are not doing this to fix it, but to become aware of it. The fixing can come later after the mindfulness exercise if necessary.

Final Thoughts

If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, mindfulness can be a helpful and empowering step forward. It won’t erase distress and pain completely, but it can change your relationship with it, helping you live more gently and intentionally. You can gain control over what has made you previously feel helpless. You can accept and love yourself where you have previously criticised and shamed yourself. The more you practice this, the quicker you will be able to access these tools in future and bring relief to distress.

At Brandon Kayat Psychology in South Wales, I understand how overwhelming depression can be. You don’t need to face it alone. Our private practice offers compassionate psychological support tailored to your journey, including the integration of mindfulness-based approaches.

You’re not broken- healing is possible.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about psychological support or mindfulness-based approaches, feel free to get in touch with Brandon Kayat Psychology. While I cannot offer direct consultations through this blog, I am here to help guide you toward the right support.