This is Why Mindfulness Works Against Anxiety: Success Stories and Strategies

Understanding Mindfulness in the Context of Anxiety

Before we delve into the effectiveness of mindfulness in combating anxiety, it is essential to establish a clear framework for the discussion that follows. The DeRose Method does not replace professional medical treatment or therapy; our instructors are not psychologists or psychiatrists. DeRose equips its students with tools, techniques, and training to manage reasonable, or even extreme, levels of stress exceptionally well. However, we strongly recommend that individuals experiencing severe, prolonged stress or anxiety (lasting more than six months) seek professional psychological or psychiatric help.

Defining Anxiety

Anxiety is your body's natural response to stress. It manifests as a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. Common scenarios like facing a job interview or speaking at a public event can induce feelings of nervousness and fear in many people. However, anxiety disorders are more severe, characterised by excessive, persistent worry and fear about everyday situations, which can significantly interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, and can persist for months or years.

If you suspect you have an anxiety disorder, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional. This article focuses on non-disorder levels of anxiety, which can be managed effectively with mindfulness.

The DeRose Method vs. “McMindfulness”

“McMindfulness” is the consumeristic version so often found everywhere online, mishmashing haphazardly elements from various traditions, that disrepute the profound practice of mindfulness into a marketable commodity with little regard for authenticity or quality. 

For us, mindfulness is the practice of profound mental concentration and presence, which enhances mental clarity and reduces mental clutter. This state of mind not only helps in resetting your emotional landscape but also uses the energy of these emotions to improve productivity and overall wellbeing. By being fully present in the moment, mindfulness allows individuals to engage more fully with their environment, promoting perspective and focused responses to life's challenges.

In this article we will explore why mindfulness is an effective tool against the type of anxiety that stems from everyday stressors, not anxiety disorders. You will read success stories that illustrate how various mindfulness strategies have helped others, and you'll learn actionable techniques that can help to manage and reduce feelings of anxiety effectively.

Understanding Anxiety in the Moment

Now that we have excluded any disorder – remember, if you suspect you may be experiencing anxiety disorder seek professional medical help – we can focus on the form of anxiety that everyone feels at one moment or another. This situational anxiety refers to those temporary moments of stress or even panic brought on by a specific situation, such as speaking at a public event, performing under pressure, or making significant decisions. Unlike anxiety disorders, situational anxiety is brief and directly linked to an immediate perceived threat or challenge. It is also important to acknowledge that different people use different terms to describe how they feel and some people may not even refer to this as anxiety but rather as a natural byproduct of placing oneself in significant situations. 

During these high-pressure moments you will experience a range of emotions and some people will even become frozen. I remember having a colleague who, on the day before a client presentation, would always feel so overwhelmed that they would flee the office, call in sick, book an appointment with their dentist, anything, not to have to face the closing of the presentation and the deadline. Their strategy was to avoid rather than face the challenge. 

In the DeRose Method we recommend that you face the challenge. However, this is not just facing it without support, but rather, to face the situation equipped with the techniques, concepts and the training that the DeRose Method teaches our students. As a result our students have the strength, the power, the presence of mind, the mental clarity, the perspective to prevent their emotions from distorting their thoughts allowing them to overcome even the most challenging situations. 

If we contrast this with the McMindfulness approach, which seeks calm, we can clearly see why the DeRose approach is so much more powerful. 

Making use of Mindfulness Strategy

Setup: 

• Get Rid of Distractions: Ensure your environment is conducive to focus. Put away your phone, turn on 'do not disturb', and eliminate any background noise that might distract you.
• Get Comfortable: Find a comfortable position that allows you to maintain focus without physical distractions. Initially, prioritise comfort to keep your attention on the mindfulness practice.
• Ideal Position: Sit on the ground with your legs crossed and hands on your knees. If this is uncomfortable, feel free to sit in a chair with a straight back—comfort aids concentration.

Practice:

• Close Your Eyes: This minimises distractions and makes it easier to focus inward.
• Breathe: Use your nostrils to take deep, slow breaths. This not only helps in relaxation but also focuses your mind.
• Observe Your Emotions: Recognise that emotions are transient. As you sit and breathe, let a gentle smile form on your lips, acknowledging the gift of the present moment.
• Concentrate: Focus on your breathing or the sensations in your body. Allow distractions to pass without engaging with them. This practice of Dháraná, or sustained concentration, is key to managing anxiety.

Finish Strong:

• Limit Your Session: Start with short sessions, one to two minutes, and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the practice. Regular, brief sessions are more beneficial than sporadic, longer ones.

Success Stories

I have personally had good times and bad times in my life. As most of you know I am a DeRose Method teacher and I have been so since 2008. But before that I worked in Market Research, where I spent almost all of my corporate career, 15 years, maybe a little more.

I bit more than I could chew…

In 2012 I had a year with MANY big decisions: I decided to quit my job to start my own business, then there was a decision to move countries, start a new business, start a family… all at the same time… This was more than most people could handle. It was probably more than I could handle. The stress and the pressure from these decisions and the need to succeed quickly weighed heavily on my shoulders. 

The business was hit and miss, I do not miss my old job (only the pay I used to get!), I did not want to live in the USA any longer so I left, first back to London and then to Amsterdam, I also got divorced and my ex took my son to live with her in South America. Things surely could have been easier. Oh, and did I mention that a pandemic derailed my plans to start a new school in 2020?

So yeah… who would not feel stressed and its side effects? 

How did I cope with all of this?

I first started to train the DeRose Method in 2000, now in 2024 I have been practising for half of my life. The reason I pulled through and I continue to push every day is that I live the techniques and concepts I teach my students. Without those, I am not sure I would still be here to tell the tales…