Mindfulness and cancer - how to help the immune system fight the disease?

Authors: Antonija Vrdoljak, Master of Psychology; Vanja Putarek, PhD, Master of Psychology

In a busy everyday life full of obligations, we can get caught up in a distracted mess of numerous thoughts and experiences that we do not know how they appeared in our heads and where the "chain reactions" of various worries started. Our thoughts fly through events from the past and jump to worries about the future. When there are health problems, as is the case with oncological patients, distraction and various worries disturb the individual even more often and more intensely and reduce the quality of life. Instead of living in the present moment, a person lives in a world of constant thinking about what could have been different and of seemingly taking control of the future through worries and questions that begin with the words "what if...?". Worries about the symptoms of the disease, how the disease will develop, whether the person will recover, how painful the development of the disease will be, etc. are not uncommon. However, by focusing on them, we irretrievably miss the present moment, along with all the potential small or large joys it offers us, and in the end the person regrets that the past was not used better, that it was not “lived to the fullest.” How can this be changed? One technique that can help with this is mindfulness.

The word mindfulness (full awareness) comes from the old Indian word Sati, which means awareness, attention, and remembrance. From the description of the word Sati, we can recognize what mindfulness is: focusing attention on current experiences, experiences, and thoughts, which encourages full awareness of being in the present moment. The aspect of remembrance (from the word Sati) is important because in our busy everyday lives we often forget to “be in the present moment.” In order to avoid a long “absence” from the present moment, we need to notice when our thoughts and experiences “escape” into the past or future, instead of being focused on the present, and at the same time remember the importance of returning our attention to the present moment. With mindfulness, thoughts and experiences are noticed, but not evaluated, that is, we do not let them pass through the filter of our habits, norms, desires, etc. This means that we do not evaluate whether a thought or emotion is acceptable, whether we like it or not, whether it is okay to be sad, but we only notice that, for example, a thought has crossed our mind or that we have experienced a certain emotion. So, we do not fight against them, but we only notice that they are “within us” in the present moment. It is not uncommon for us to be harsh on ourselves and to judge ourselves for our own actions, thoughts, and emotions. Mindfulness teaches us to be gentle with ourselves and not to constantly evaluate ourselves, our inner experiences, and our surroundings.

Although mindfulness may make us feel calmer, it is not a relaxation technique, but rather a technique for focusing on the present moment. Relaxation techniques aim, of course, to achieve relaxation, while mindfulness does not have a goal to be achieved, but rather the person strives to be in the present moment, which can lead to relaxation. Mindfulness is a type of meditation in which we practice our attention by focusing on internal experiences and noticing them – acting like an observer of our experiences (e.g., noticing our own breathing, bodily sensations, emotions, thoughts, and mentally noting that they are present, but not trying to change them or evaluate them as good or bad).

What does all this actually mean? Imagine an oncology patient who goes for a medical check-up and has thoughts like “What if the doctor tells me my condition has worsened?”, and feels anxious and agitated (and anxiety and stress can further weaken the immune system). By practicing mindfulness, a person can focus their attention on their breathing, the smells in their environment that they sense, and their touch and study them, instead of trying to find answers to the “what if” question. For example, they can notice and become aware of the feel of the chair they are sitting on – is it hard or soft, does it have a flat back or is it rounded, is the seat warm, comfortable, smooth or rough, etc. She can become aware of whether the shoe feels comfortable to her, what position her right and left feet are in, what her breathing is like (is it shallow or deep, fast or slow, how her stomach moves when she breathes, etc.). It is important to remember that thoughts like this “what if” question are just thoughts and do not have to be accurate or important, and we can let them go ourselves, without evaluating them and looking for answers to them or the causes where they come from because these searches are doomed to failure from the start. By focusing on the present moment, without giving in to disturbing thoughts, anxiety is reduced and the person can function more effectively and have a more fulfilled and quality life.

Research has shown the positive effects of mindfulness on reducing anxiety, stress, and depression because through practicing mindfulness, a person learns not to criticize themselves and others, not to overthink the past, or worry about the future, which has a beneficial effect on mental health, and thus on better functioning of the immune system. Mindfulness will not eliminate the disease, but it will help the immune system to cope with the disease or reduce its progression, and it will also make it easier to psychologically cope with health problems and the emotions associated with them. It is important to keep in mind that mindfulness needs to be practiced and that there are courses that serve exactly this purpose (some of which are listed below), as well as books and online materials that help people practice mindfulness and learn how to be mindful (some of which are also listed below).

Materials:

1. Alidina, S. (2010). Mindfulness for dummies. Chichester, West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

2. Williams, M. i Penman, D. (2019). Meditacije usmjerene svjesnosti – Mindfulness. Zagreb: Znanje.

3. The Mindfulness Project: I Am Here Now: A Creative Mindfulness Guide and Journal (http://www.iamherenow.com/)

Apps (free and available for iOS and Android):

- UCLA Mindful

- Stop, Breathe & Think

- Serenity: Guided Meditation & Mindfulness (free trial)

- The Mindfulness App (part of materials is free)