Chronic Illness Q&A with Dr. B.

This question & answer column is for people living with chronic health challenges and their family caregivers, who want to learn to increase the odds of improving their health by learning to live with mastery & wellbeing.

I invite you to post your questions in the comments box below. When I get a certain number of related questions, I pick one that covers them all and I answer that one.

I post to this blog three times per week. Monday posts are relevant published articles. Wednesday posts are interviews—mostly video. Friday posts consist of questions about living better with chronic health challenges, and my answers to them.

Here is today’s question:

QUESTION:

Many people have told me that mindfulness practice doesn’t work for them. Here’s what I tell them.

ANSWER:

There are an almost endless variety of mindfulness practices that lead to improved mental and physical health. There are numerous forms of yoga, meditation, and practices from every corner of the globe, especially from various Asian cultures. Considerable research has been done comparing these practices. Although they all produce somewhat different results, they are all excellent.

The problem is that many people delve into one of these practices for a certain period of time, then move on to a different style of practice, and eventually give up on all the practices because it’s too much of a time commitment. The reality is that the best and most effective practices only work when we commit to a life-long practice of them. Unfortunately, most people are not willing to hang in there during the long plateau periods. This problem is addressed beautifully in a book called Mastery by George Leonard. He teaches that it is important to adopt the philosophy that there is nothing to achieve; rather, there is just the practice.

This website is offered as a free public service, supplying information that has been found helpful to certain people living with chronic health challenges. No treatment is offered on this website. The advice is general, and may or may not apply to your individual situation, and is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical treatment.

What questions do you have about how to live better with chronic health challenges that are related to the relationship between states of mind and health? Just scroll down and type your question in the comment box. I will post a reply to your comment, but your question may not appear in this column.