Around 14% of seniors suffer from a mental disorder, according to the World Health Organization. Depression is a common disorder that can lead to a broken sense of self and reduce overall happiness, regardless of a person's age.
A useful tool to help combat depression, or to prevent the onset of it, is to practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness for depression can make a positive impact on your mental wellness, and we're here to show you how. Keep reading to learn more about the idea of mindfulness and how to implement it in La Mirada, CA.
Before beginning your journey with mindful aging practices, it's important to take the time to understand the foundation of mindfulness. Without the right approach, you could end up doing more harm than good to your mental state. That's why you should keep the following ideals in mind during each mindful exercise you perform.
How often do you examine the reasons behind your emotions? Curiosity in mindfulness means taking a step outside of your anxiety and depression and asking where those emotions originate from.
By identifying the source, it can be easier to understand triggers and how to use emotional support tools more efficiently. If you never ask yourself questions, how can you begin to learn more about yourself and your mental well-being?
It's never easy to consistently use depression coping strategies. It takes courage and perseverance. This ideal asks you to find that courage and grasp onto it during each exercise.
You've found the courage to begin; now find the courage to continue.
Often, the hardest ideal to implement is the one that asks you to find compassion for yourself. When you struggle against depression, self-compassion can be difficult to find.
This mindfulness ideal encourages you to at least appreciate the efforts you're putting into your senior mental health. Finding further self-compassion will come with more practice and time.
When dealing with depression, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. You might disassociate and find it difficult to stay in the moment.
Grounding can be a great tool to combat this feeling of being outside of yourself. It's also good if you suffer from anxiety and need a way to center yourself before you spiral into a full panic attack.
To practice grounding, try these different tactics:
These tactics help tear you away from the overwhelming emotions and give you a clear task to focus on. If a single round of grounding isn't enough to help you feel more present, continue with another one until you feel more in control.
This exercise helps you find a sense of emotional control in a similar way to mental grounding, but uses physical sensations instead. It's an exercise that works well no matter if you're out at a restaurant or participating in a senior activity.
Focus on each of your senses one at a time.
Feel your feet solid against the ground. Feel how soft the blanket is beneath your fingers. Is it chilly or warm in the air?
How about sounds? What can you hear right now?
Asking yourself these kinds of questions helps you reconnect with your physical body and can ground you in the moment.
This exercise is a coping mechanism that achieves a couple of different results. It helps with grounding you in reality, it helps give you something concrete to focus on, and it can bring a sense of calm.
The idea of this exercise is to list different and distinct answers to the questions:
This gives you a mix of both mental and physical grounding and aids you in focusing on finding three answers to each question. It's versatile because it works well in secret if you're feeling overwhelmed during an outing, and it is also great to perform within the privacy of your senior apartments.
In The Palms La Mirada community, we believe meditation should be a part of daily wellness for seniors. It's also an excellent tool to practice mindfulness and relieve stress.
Being led through senior meditation gives you specific instructions to focus on. This makes it perfect for beginners and people dealing with depression or anxiety. It's difficult to allow your mind to wander if a leader directs the path of your thoughts.
If you prefer to meditate alone, look into recordings of guided meditation instead. You can also record your voice leading yourself in a customized meditation session for a balanced and personal exercise.
As depression begins to overwhelm us, anxiety and difficulty breathing are quick to follow. Mindful breathing can help you maintain control over both your emotions and the quickness of your breathing.
The easiest way is to breathe in stages, such as:
Once you understand the benefits of mindfulness for depression, the next step is to put these exercises into action. To best achieve a better mental state, join a La Mirada senior community that focuses on well-being during retirement.
The Palms La Mirada is here to help you practice the mindfulness exercises you need for better mental health. Our staff can support your efforts and help you find the path to increased happiness.
Contact us today to learn more about how our La Mirada community could be the answer to a better retirement.