MBSR has increased in popularity as treatment for patients with eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for patients with eating disorders

Individuals with mild/moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been reported to experience twice as much pain and sleep problems than other neurological patients. This is also accompanied by the risk of behavioral problems, mental illnesses, alcohol and drug use, and criminal behavior that is typically seen with brain injury patients. 

Use of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction with Traumatic Brain Injury patients

Mindfulness-based stress reduction can be beneficial for medical students.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Medical Students

Past studies have explored how Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) can improve health and trauma-related symptoms, including stress, anxiety, and depression, in trauma-exposed women.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Trauma-Exposed Women

After/during breast cancer, affected patients often demonstrate many different psychological/physical symptoms as a result of the duress of treatment and the illness. Some of these symptoms include fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of appetite, etc., and these symptoms often form clusters. MBSR can be used to treat these symptoms/clusters in post-treatment breast cancer patients. 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Post-treatment Breast Cancer Patients

Introductory  studies have shown that MBSR can be useful in reducing the general and minority-specific stress experienced by queer individuals, especially in regions without sufficient anti-discrimination policies

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for LGBTQ+ Individuals

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was one of the original treatments for mental disorders like depression and anxiety.  While CBT is still a very popular treatment, mindfulness-based interventions like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) have been shown to be as effective as CBT, creating the "new" types of treatment.

Mindfulness Interventions in Patients with Depression and Anxiety

- Medical students
- Patients with eating disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients
- Trauma-exposed women
- Post-treatment breast cancer patients 
- LGBTQIA+ Individuals
- Patients with depression and anxiety

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Chapman University

Villanova University

Boston University

Syracuse University

University of California, Davis

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

University of Notre Dame

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an educational therapy program with the goal of teaching individuals both formal and informal/everyday mindfulness techniques to help reduce psychological distress.

Standard MBSR programs are 8-weeks in duration consisting of 26 hours with a 6-hour one day class (total of 32 hours). Participants are also expected to practice 45 minutes per day at home during the program.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Rosenzweig, S., Reibel, D. K., Greeson, J. M., Brainard, G. C., & Hojat, M. (2003). Mindfulness-based stress reduction lowers psychological distress in medical students. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 15(2), 88-92. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328015TLM1502_03

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress in Medical Students 

Slyter, M. (2012). Treating Eating Disorders With the Buddhist Tradition of Mindfulness. counseling.org. https://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/VISTAS/vistas12/Article_32.pdf. 

Treating Eating Disorders With the Buddhist Tradition of Mindfulness

Lengacher, Cecile A., Reich, Richard R., Post-White, Janice, Moscoso, Manolete, Shelton, Melissa M., Barta, Michelle., Le, Nancy., Budhrani, Pinky. (2012). Mindfulness based stress reduction in post-treatment breast cancer patients: an examination of symptoms and symptom clusters. Journal of Behavorial Medicine, 35, 86-94. Retrieved from: https://link-springer-com.ezp1.lib.umn.edu/article/10.1007/s10865-011-9346-4 

Mindfulness based stress reduction in post-treatment breast cancer patients: an examination of symptoms and symptom clusters

Although mindfulness interventions are commonly thought of as a treatment solely for mental and psychological illness, various mindfulness interventions have been used in physical rehabilitation.

Mindfulness in Physical Rehabilitation 

Populations that May Benefit from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

- Decreases overall psychological distress
- Can help improve emotional regulation through attentional deployment

Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

- Short-term mindfulness-based stress reduction
- Therapeutic interventions that use mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques

Variations of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions can be incorporated into multiple different settings. These include:

- University elective courses
- Physical Therapy 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Intervention Settings

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions have multiple physiological effects including the following:
- Morphometric changes in brain regions
- Increased connection between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) 

Neurological Effects Resulting From Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Somatic:

- Improved Immune Response

- Improvement in Conditions Worsened by Stress

Neurological:

- Improved functioning of the amygdala and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex

- Increased gray matter in the right anterior insula

- Increased left-sided anterior activation

- Increased connection between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)

Physical Effects Resulting From Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

There are many online services and apps that are available that allow people to practice Mindfulness Interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) from one’s own device. The ease of accessibility, lower cost, and convenience of these services are some of the pros of online MBI practices over face-to-face MBIs. 

Mindfulness Apps and Online Services

Exercises in MBSR, such as sitting meditation and the body scan, can give African American women (who are often consumed by caring for the needs of others) a restorative and imperative time-out to quiet the mind and restore balance.

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