Although tranquility is a fundamental aspect of human life, the experiential nature of tranquility remains elusive. Traditionally, many philosophical, religious, spiritual, or mystical traditions in ...East and West have strived to reach tranquil experiences and produced texts serving as manuals to reach them. Yet, no attempt has been made to compare experiences of tranquility and explore what they may have in common. The purpose of this theoretical study is to explore the experiential nature of tranquility. First, we present examples of what we consider some of the most central experiences of tranquility in Eastern and Western traditions. For the sake of simplicity, we sort these examples into four categories based on their experiential focus: the body, emotions, the mind, and mysticism. Second, we offer an exploratory account of tranquility, arguing that the different examples of tranquility seem to share certain experiential features. More specifically, we propose that the shared features pertain both to the content or quality of the tranquil experiences, which involves a sense of presence and inner peace, and to the structure of these experiences, which seems to involve some degree of detachment and absorption.
This paper outlines several of the challenges that are inherent in any attempt to communicate subjective experience to others, particularly in the context of a clinical interview. It presents the ...phenomenological interview as a way of effectively responding to these challenges, which may be especially important when attempting to understand the profound experiential transformations that take place in schizophrenia. Features of language experience in schizophrenia—including changes in interpersonal orientation, a sense of the arbitrariness of language, and a desire for faithful communication of experience (including of ineffable transformations of experience)—are described, together with discussion of their relevance for the interview context. Furthermore, the interview presents a unique context in which both intersubjective and interpersonal aspects of experience will be described as well as evoked. It is proposed that phenomenological interviewers should not only be familiar with these and other experiences that can occur in schizophrenia, but also capable of applying the techniques of phenomenological and hermeneutic methods in order to understand the descriptions of interviewees with sensitivity and accuracy.
In cognitive science, it is unclear what precisely presence (both in the sense of objecthood and immersion) refers to in lived experience. The present study addresses the research question of what ...the relationship between presence is and lived space. A hundred and seventeen phenomenological interviews were conducted with 14 participants. We sampled their experience in a transdiagnostic manner. That is, we observed how the experience of presence changes both in circumstances appraised as positive (e.g., sexual intimacy) and negative (e.g., psychopathology). Our grounded theory suggests that presence is a phenomenon that is comprised of all available sensory knowledge, however, it itself is not present in any one sensory modality. Presence takes the form of a disembodied sense of solidity. Our findings can be related to the notion of transmodality in contemporary qualitative phenomenology (i.e., the idea that there are some aspects of experience that can be readily translated from one sensory modality to another. Further, how presence (in its capacity as immersion) is related to lived space can shed further light on the formation of delusions, suggesting that it is based on sensory alterations rather than changes in belief. Finally, the observation that presence as it appears in lived space need not perfectly correspond to the objective situation, can elucidate extant discussion on whether presence is an amodal aspect of consciousness. Keywords: presence, lived space, first-person research, transdiagnosticism
Introduction Psychiatric comorbidities have proven a consistent challenge. Recent approaches emphasize the need to move away from categorical descriptions of symptom clusters towards a dimensional ...view of mental disorders. From the perspective of phenomenological psychopathology, this shift is not enough, as a more detailed understanding of patients’ lived experience is necessary as well. One phenomenology-informed approach suggests that we can better understand the nature of psychiatric disorders through personalized network models, a comprehensive description of a person’s lifeworld in the form of salient nodes and the relationships between them. We present a detailed case study of a patient with multiple comorbidities, maladaptive coping mechanisms, and adverse childhood experiences. Methods The case was followed for a period of two years, during which we collected multiple streams of data, ranging from phenomenological interviews, neuropsychological assessments, language analysis, and semi-structured interviews (Examination of Anomalous Self Experience and Examination of Anomalous World Experience). We analytically constructed a personalized network model of his lifeworld. Results We identified an experiential category “the crisis of objectivity” as the core psychopathological theme of his lifeworld. It refers to his persistent mistrust towards any information that he obtains that he appraises as originating in his subjectivity. We can developmentally trace the crisis of objectivity to his adverse childhood experience, as well as him experiencing a psychotic episode in earnest. He developed various maladaptive coping mechanisms in order to compensate for his psychotic symptoms. Interestingly, we found correspondence between his subjective reports and other sources of data. Discussion Hernan exhibits difficulties in multiple Research Domain Criteria constructs. While we can say that social sensorimotor, positive valence, and negative valence systems dysfunctions are likely associated with primary deficit (originating in his adverse childhood experience), his cognitive symptoms may be tied to his maladaptive coping mechanisms (although, they might be related to his primary disorder as well).
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Research has shown that epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation may play a role in ...the development and progression of abnormal ovarian function and metabolic disorders in PCOS. Studies have identified specific genes (related with insulin signaling and steroid hormone metabolism) that are methylated in women with PCOS. DNA methylation appears to respond to various interventions aimed at altering health and lifestyle factors. We tested the efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) in PCOS patients. We examined its effects on anthropometric measurements, mental health and wellbeing, and alterations in DNA methylation in peripheral blood. MBSR was associated with a reduction in body mass index, waist circumference and blood glucose level, an improvement in subjectively perceived general health, emotional role limitation, and levels of pain, as well as mindfulness-like traits. MBSR reduced the expression of anxious symptomatology and subjectively perceived stress. Methylation changes were observed in four genes: COMT, FST, FKBP51, and MAOA. We conclude that MBSR may be a useful supplementary therapy to mitigate the deleterious effects of PCOS on mental health.
Mindfulness has without doubt been the fastest spreading and most popular concept in psychotherapy in the last two decades. Its influence exceeds that of any other individual concept or approach in ...modern psychotherapy. However, there are many dilemmas, open questions and controversies related to this rapid, almost fanatic spread, which obviously compensates for a certain lack in modern Euro- and Americo-centric societies. Similarly, we are witnessing in the West a lack of reflection, a process of limitless idealization, and the search for a panacea. This all flows with a tint of colonialism, presumptuously taking over ideas, concepts and techniques without a proper study of the primary sources, and with all the accompanying negative side-effects: profiteering, self-promotion, unethical conduct, empty promises of instant rewards, and so on. In the present paper, the development of interest in mindfulness in psychotherapy, as well as the research findings and dilemmas, and concepts and mechanisms of applying mindfulness in psychotherapy, will be reviewed. The main purpose of the paper is to contribute to the critical reflection in studying and applying mindfulness in psychotherapy.
Depression is a common mental disorder with a high burden of disease worldwide and requires effective treatment. On behalf of the General Advisory Council for Psychiatry, clinical recommendations ...were formed to help clinicians make decisions to improve the treatment of patients with unipolar depressive disorder; several international guidelines served as the basis for developing these recommendations. In terms of therapeutic approaches, pharmacological treatment is discussed with additional recommendations on the management of a partial response to treatment and treatment resistance. Psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and other psychosocial approaches represent non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of depressive disorder. Biological methods for treating depression include non-invasive brain stimulation methods. The second part of the recommendations addresses special populations: children and adolescents, the elderly, and the treatment of depression in the perinatal period.
The early intervention movement for treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders has extended to include pharmacological and psychological treatment of putatively prodromal (or ...'ultra-high risk') patients. The psychotherapy that has been trialed to date is cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), due to its apparent success with patients with established psychotic disorder and its current popularity as a therapeutic modality. This paper presents phenomenological models of psychotic, particularly schizophrenic, vulnerability, which emphasise a disturbed basic sense of self (ipseity) and intersubjectivity. We argue that these phenomenological models indicate that CBT may not be the most suitable therapy for prodromal patients, and may even be counterproductive. A central element of this argument is that CBT's emphasis on cognitive reflection and challenging may encourage a core pathological process in these patients (hyper-reflexive awareness). The paper explores alternatives for psychotherapy that emerge from phenomenological accounts of psychosis, while recognising the paradoxical aspects of psychotherapy with these patients. These alternatives include strategies that provide an intersubjective space where patients can evolve a more robust pre-reflective self-awareness (first-person perspective), second-person perspective and experience of trustworthy relationships when encountering others, empathic attunement afforded by the phenomenological approach's sensitivity to psychotic experience, and strategies that encourage a form of immersion or absorption in present activity, including mindfulness and creative 'flow'. We also suggest the possible value of combining therapeutic modalities (even ones that may seem contradictory) and of the need to empirically test therapeutic strategies other than CBT in the ultra-high risk population.
Za avtobiografske zapise je značilno pripovedovanje o sebi, ki ga vsaka s svojih zornih kotov preučujejo fenomenologija, psihoanaliza, naratologija in hermenevtika. Njihove razčlenitve in analize ...prispevajo k boljšemu razbiranju človekovih izkustev. V fenomenoloških in psihoanalitičnih perspektivah lahko prepoznavamo bazične in narativne ravni doživljanja sebe ter prehajanja od manj zrelih k zrelejšim oblikam samorazumevanja. Naratološko nas zanima razdalja med pripovedujočim in doživljajočim jazom, ki mora ostajati »dovoljšnja«, da omogoča transparentnost ter zmožnost razumevanja in interpretiranja duševnosti pripovedovalca. Prav tako so za analizo avtobiografij pomembna naratološka pojmovanja (ne)zanesljivosti spomina, pri katerih je poleg verodostojnosti ključen potencial avtobiografije za spoznavanje sebe in razlaganje resničnosti. Vse omenjene analize avtobiografske zapise razčlenjujejo in razgrinjajo, da lažje začutimo njihov transformativni potencial. Zgodbe o težavnih izkušnjah kličejo po zapisu, avtobiografski zapisi pa kličejo bralce, da ob njih začutijo svoje otoke jasnine in iz njih črpajo navdih za spremembe v svojih življenjih. Ranjeni zdravilec, ki je prototip močnega in izkušenega zdravilca, ni nihče drug kot ranjeni pripovedovalec. Skozi pripovedi ranjenih pripovedovalcev se utrjujemo v svojih temeljih, mehčamo v svojih od ogroženosti okostenelih predstavah o sebi ter dozorevamo v bolj čuteče in sočutne posameznike. Zmožni postanemo bolj konstruktivne gradnje samih sebe in sveta okrog nas.
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