WELL DONE, YOU
A SELF-COMPASSION practice helps us understand our feelings and realise that it’s OK not to be OK. Researchers from the department of applied psychology and human development at the University of Toronto in Canada recently found that practising mindfulness together with self-compassion could significantly reduce symptoms of depression.*
Their study compared people practising mindfulness and self-compassion with those who were not. Most participants had been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder and depression. After four weeks of daily practice, those who employed mindfulness and self-compassion showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms compared with those who didn’t practise self-kindness. Even more reason to be good to yourself.
Mindful self-compassion can ease symptoms of depression, explains scientist David Hamilton
Join ‘Psychologies’ kindness tsar David Hamilton live on Facebook @Psychologiesmagazine for his free 30-day kindness challenge and monthly broadcasts – next on 15 June at 1pm. Catch up via Psychologies TV at tinyurl.com/ psykind. For more, join the ‘Psychologies’ Life Leap Club, free when you subscribe to the magazine.‘the Little Book Of Kindness’ (Octopus, £6.99) and ‘The Five Side Effects Of Kindness’ (Hay House, £12.99) by David Hamilton are out now