# Have you ever meditated?



## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

If you have, then please explain how it has changed you and whether it has cured your mental illnesses or not.

I once heard that meditation works on the mind the same way exercise works on the body in that it strengthens your mind and makes it adapt (or be able to deal with, or even overcome) anxiety and fear the same way exercise makes your body less vulnerable to a harsh environment.


Can anyone confirm this analogy, please?


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## cooperativeCreature (Sep 6, 2010)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051110215950.htm


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

I'm sorry but what's Grey Matter and what is its role in the human brain? Also what does "increased thickness" mean?


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## cloister2 (Sep 2, 2011)

I am but it hasn't cured me.


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## LuckRunsOut (Jul 8, 2013)

I meditate less often than I should, but yes it does help the mind. If you learn it properly you can really get lost inside yourself. When they say thoughtless awareness they really mean it. There are many types of meditation and I'd personally choose those from the Buddhist schools of thought (being biased here).

Get proper instruction, however. You can do it wrong and get frustrated. Find some of the real deal monks to help you out.

Cured my 'illnesses'? Nope. But a decent session leaves me feeling pretty damn good. Not on the drug scale, but it's free with no down and no surprises. 

Body altering effects... yeah, not sure and I wouldn't place bets. Be aware that there are claims for everything and a lot of zealots to back them up. Anything relating to any physical overhaul is more than likely related to a style of living associated with said meditations but passed on without explaining the whole story.


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

One article mentions something interesting about regular meditation, namely, *that over time our old mental blocks begin to dissolve and as this happens we could stir up our long suppressed emotions.*

Is that true?


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## Raphael200 (Aug 18, 2012)

Yes : ).


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## Slogger (Dec 14, 2010)

Victor Bruzi said:


> One article mentions something interesting about regular meditation, namely, *that over time our old mental blocks begin to dissolve and as this happens we could stir up our long suppressed emotions.*
> 
> Is that true?


There are stories of the Buddha being "visited by demons" shortly before his great awakening, and some Zen masters confirm in their writings that there may be some difficult moments before a breakthrough. This is attributed to our basic fear of letting go of the ego. We're not sure what will happen so we might cling fearfully at the last moment. Apparently doesn't happen to everyone, but this is where a good teacher can help reassure us and keep us going.


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## jimkon1479 (Sep 23, 2011)

I just meditate for 20 minutes using the Buddhist deep breath method. It helps clear my head and refreshes me after doing whatever I'm doing. I usually do it after dinner.


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## popeet (Dec 8, 2005)

ya.

it hasn't cured my mental illness but has helped me immensely. 

there was, however, a period where it made me crazy. but that's because i got attached to the states that i experienced and hooked into trying to 'see' more and more. haha, silly, really cos it's never "there" it's always right here, without doing. but it's hard to stop chasing it when you first get a taste. it's the opposite of something.


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## sleepytime (Feb 18, 2011)

I've just started practicing mindfulness meditation (about 3 weeks in). It's made no change so far regarding my anxiety, but I wasn't expecting it to after such a short amount of time. It does however make a lot of sense to me so far how this could help an awful lot in the longer term. I'm quite happy with how it's going so far. Here's the instruction I've been using.....

http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1762/


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

Maybe you guys haven't been doing it properly, because researches say that it doesn't just "calm you down" but also changes the way in which your brain reacts to its environment, in other words, it has long-term effects and produces chemical change in the brain.

Listen to what this guy here in SAS had to say about his meditational experience and how it indeed changed his life! I sent him a PM asking him about the methods meditated and all, but I never got an answer.

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f26/meditation-has-cured-me-93068/


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## loumon (Jul 6, 2012)

This is the link that he posted back on 6/24/2010
http://www.freemeditations.com/


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

I have this mindfulness meditation book that I was working from and it seemed to be going some where I guess? The one time I tried, but I haven't tried for ages because my attention span really doesn't lend itself to this sort of thing. I may as well have ADD, so it's hard.

I think meditating can help you feel better, and so it can work _very _well after anxiety provoking situations, to calm you down. When you get into the swing of it anyway.


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## kat37 (May 22, 2013)

My therapist just cited that study to me bc he could tell i was skeptical (and i was). he did mention improvements in functions of the the frontal lobe and improved executive functions (which I need for my job) so I am going to try it. He told me to expect to suck at it at first as ky kind will wander constantly.

We will see...


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

I need my brain to stop panicking and the blood to stop rushing to my head every time I confront someone. Meditations sounds like it can help me control myself better.

I'm going to try it for a whole month, I hope my mind reacts well to it.


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## noyadefleur (Oct 26, 2010)

I have, yes. Though it has certainly not come close to curing me. I think it helps to do "damage control" in the sense that it is a temporary solution.


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

noyadefleur said:


> I have, yes. Though it has certainly not come close to curing me. I think it helps to do "damage control" in the sense that it is a temporary solution.


You're not doing it properly!


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

I just meditated today for 30 minutes, I gotta say staying half asleep and half awake for a long time could realy stir up some weird, mixed emotions!


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## andy0128 (Dec 19, 2003)

There was a program on bbc this week about human behavior and what factors can change it. Meditation apparently can help to lower your anxiety and over the long term have physical benefits for the brain.


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## alenclaud (Mar 31, 2013)

According to research meditation works in calming your mind and hence is a fix for anxious or depressive states of the brain. Stress can negatively affect our physical health as we all know, and for that matter meditation can positively change both aspects of health, in a direct or indirect way (mental and physical respectively).

Personally I've never full on tried it. Maybe I should.


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## zojirushi (Apr 8, 2013)

David Lynch. I really needed this.


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## nml (Jan 21, 2012)

yeah, I did pretty traditional Buddhist meditation for a while, it certainly helped with anxiety and depression. I also met some really lovely people at the classes. Shame I stopped really...probably would've gone on a retreat by now if I kept it up. Another life time eh.


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## smallfries (Jun 21, 2013)

I go to a meditation group for people who deal with anxious thoughts and it has helped. No, it has not cured my illness but my anxiety is very specific on a couple of social situations, and it's very extreme with those specific situations, so it may just take time. It's very important that if you do meditation, that you make it a priority so that it becomes a habit. After awhile, it will be much easier to remember to meditate. It helps me stay more calm overall throughout the day, and I find it much easier to be productive and get stuff done when I meditate. I have to admit (perhaps I'm a bit immature?) sometimes, depending on what the guided meditation is, I almost want to giggle and I can't get into it, but I know that different guided meditations work differently for each person. Some guided meditations where another person walks you through an imaginary situation have really helped me get some insight into myself, while others have not.

I think you should give meditation a try. What could it hurt?


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## Victor Bruzi (Jun 24, 2013)

I am trying, but I can't focus!


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