Reduce Addictions Relapse in Minority Women with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “By being mindful the individual will be able to see that these cravings appear in the mind and then disappear. They are like clouds passing through the sky. Sometimes just acknowledging the craving will be enough to make it […]
Prevent Depression Relapse and Lessen Residual Symptoms with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Through mindfulness, individuals start to see their thoughts as less powerful. These distorted thoughts – such as “I always make mistakes” or “I’m a horrible person” – start to hold less weight. We ‘experience’ thoughts and other sensations, […]
Improve Drug Resistant Major Depressive Disorder with Yoga Breathing Exercises By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Yoga breathing can help you manage the symptoms of both anxiety and depression. After years of meditating, and learning to observe my anxiety-based depression, I actually recovered from a condition that literally almost killed me. I regained […]
Mindfulness Training Equals Drugs in Effectiveness for Depression By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “People at risk for depression are dealing with a lot of negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs about themselves and this can easily slide into a depressive relapse. MBCT helps them to recognize that’s happening, engage with it in a […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Many participants said that as time went on, the benefits of MBCT permeated their whole life. ‘Through relating mindfully to their own experiences and to others, they were feeling more confident and were engaging with an increased range of social activity and involvement’.” – Emily Nauman Depression […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The idea behind mindfulness meditation is to observe the present moment by paying attention to the breath and body, as well as thoughts and emotions. People with challenges related to addiction tend to act out on addictive behaviors to avoid uncomfortable feelings and to bring pleasure. . […]
“Research investigating the relationship between religious commitment and drug use consistently indicates that those young people who are seriously involved in religion are more likely to abstain from drug use than those who are not; moreover, among users, religious youth are less likely than non-religious youth to use drugs heavily” – Gerald Bachman Alcohol […]
Substance abuse is a major health and social problem. There are estimated 22.2 million people in the U.S. with substance dependence. It is estimated that worldwide there are nearly ¼ million deaths yearly as a result of illicit drug use which includes unintentional overdoses, suicides, HIV and AIDS, and trauma. In the U.S. about 17 […]
Improve Sleep, Fitness, and Abstinence in Women with Stimulant Addiction with Tai Chi By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “As a recovering addict, I urge you to try Tai Chi. It helps you relax, restores your energy, reduces cravings, and combats depression and pain. Plus, it will boost your physical, mental and emotional […]
Reduce Rumination in Bipolar Disorder with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “If you are someone who tends to ruminate, or who suffers from anxiety and depression, it’s important that you don’t judge yourself for this way of being.” ― Kristin Neff Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive disorder, is a […]