Holistic Solutions to Anxiety, Depression & Addiction

“It is more important to know what sort of person has a disease than to know what sort of disease a person has.” — Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.E.)

1 in 5 kiwis experience some form of stress, anxiety and depression.

Although the same label may be used to describe a person’s struggle (e.g. depression), everyone is different.

We all live in environments - family, work, culture, climate, and we are affected by both our current environment (stressors in life) and our past environment (whether we experienced losses, trauma or criticisms). In addition, we each have multi-facets to ourself- biological/physical, thoughts, emotions and behaviours. For example, if you are feeling very tired and depressed, what usually goes through your mind when you find yourself lying in bed awake in the middle of the night? And when you are feeling and thinking this way, how does your behaviour change? Would you still do the things you enjoy, socialising with friends and family and engage in regular exercise? And how do your behaviours change your environment e.g. family, relationships and job? As you can see, changes in one area have a ripple effect on other areas, and over time, these changes could change the way you view yourself and your environment.  These effects go round and round, you may feel stuck but don’t know how you got there in the first place or how to get out of the vicious cycle. It makes sense that why the search of a panacea has never been successful, the reality is that treatment of anxiety, depression and addiction require a holistic approach that addresses your environment and multi-aspects of self.

[How is the environment at Capri Sanctuary conducive to health and wellbeing? - Mindfulness morning meditation, nutrition, exercise, yoga, massage]

How could mindfulness help?

Mindfulness is the ability to turn your mind to the present moment, moment by moment, without judgement. Research has shown tremendous evidence on the benefits of mindfulness on health and wellbeing. The most resonance of our dissonant cord of our modern society is hyperactivity, life goes by unnoticed while we are constantly dealing with competing demands, ruminating over past events or worrying about the future. The sticky thoughts and emotions constantly grip hold of our attention, keep us away from things that are truly important to us. Mindfulness gives us the ability to slow things down, take notice and appreciate the simple things in life and reduce fruitless time on worries, rumination that maintains the status quo. When each moment shows up in life, whether it is playing with the kids, listening to birds singing outside your window or a gentle stroll on the beach, mindfulness gives us the choice to say yes as the next moment of life shows up. We can’t predict the future by focusing on the rear-view mirror. The good news is that, just as changes in how we pay attention in life through mindfulness practices, could overtime change our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, behaviours and environment, and as whole, our life. 

Experience the freedom of living in the present: DBT skills we could all benefit from

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a highly effective evidence-based treatment that was originally developed by Marsha Linehan in the late 1980s for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. Today, it has been shown to be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health issues such depression, anxiety and substance dependence. 

What is DBT?

DBT is a cognitive-behavioural approach that empowers individuals with life skills to experience freedom living in the present.  DBT focuses on the synthesis and balancing of acceptance and change. It provides people with core behavioural skills in four areas: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

By incorporating these skills into your life you can learn to increase your capacity to manage stress, better manage your emotions and have a better overall quality of life. One of the key focuses in DBT is radical acceptance. It is about accepting life on life’s terms and do not waste energy trying to change what is outside your control. Rejecting or avoiding reality prolongs the suffering. Imagine for instance, you got a parking ticket and you are in a rush to get to a very important meeting. You have multiple options: you can get angry, yell, self-blame, let it ruin your day or you can accept the fact that you have been issued a parking ticket, say to yourself ‘It’s a bummer but this is what it is’ and re-direct your attention and energy to the present task, making sure you get to your next meeting safely and on time. 

DBT provides a wellness toolbox to help us become more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and being centred in the present moment, engage in behaviours that support our values and accept life on life’s terms. With the ability to accept reality and make changes in the present moment, we are more likely to lead a healthier and happier life.

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” -Maria Robinson

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