The key

message
of this
talk is
ancient
 Dealing with
Depression: Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy,
Meditation, and
Mindfulness
By
Denny Braun, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Sociology
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Presented to 1st UU Church of San
Diego
April 27, 2017
 Why be Concerned
about Depression?
There is a surge in suicide rates in America
Recent data: a 24% jump in rates in 15 years
(1999-2014)
In 2014 alone there were almost 43,000 suicides!
Suicide rates have climbed for all ages 10-74 and
for both sexes
For all Americans, it is the 10th leading cause of
death; for men, it is 7th, and for men ages 45-54, it
is the 4th leading cause of death.
For the most vulnerable men (45-64), a 43%
increase since 1999
Coupled with growth in drug ODs & Cirrhosis =
 Why Increasing Suicide?
Marriage rates are way down (= social isolation)
Divorce rates have doubled for middle age and older
adults since the 1990s (erasing emotional support)
Especially bad for divorced men, who are 3 & times
more likely to commit suicide than married men
For both sexes, only 1/3rd of those with severe
depression ever contact a mental health professional
(CDC).
Men value self-reliance, and thus resist seeking help
Our economy has eaten away at jobs of working class
(= despair and desperation, producing Trump votes).
More later.
Signs that Signal Depression
Ongoing sadness, emptiness, irritability
Feeling hopeless and/or anxious
Agitation and restlessness
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness
Feeling tired? Disturbances of sleep
Change of appetite (less or more)
Loss of energy
Loss of interest in activities once joyful
Suicidal thoughts
A plan in mind to carry it out
 Male Symptoms of
Depression
Acting out in angry & hostile ways
Debilitating headaches, chronic neck and
back pains
Pursuit of risky, self-destructive behaviors
(unsafe sex with multiple partners, drug
and alcohol abuse)
Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism
Seeing oneself as a burden to others
Feeling worthless, weak, and useless
Women Have Twice the Rate of
Depression Than Men
Up to 1-in-4 women encounter it in their
lifetime, whereas 1-in-8 men do
Childbirth, menopause, and rape are additional
causes of female depression not faced by men
Depressed women have more appetite
changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue, pain and
anxiety than depressed men.
Women attempt suicide more than men (but
men are 4 times more likely to succeed at it)
Women will discuss their depression, but the 5
million men who become depressed each year
frequently try to hide it. Why?
Suicide
Rates of
U.S. Males,
2014

Of all age &

sex groups,
men 75 and
over had the
only decline.
Yet of all age
groups, 75+
male rates
remain the
highest. At
nearly 39 per
100,000,
men over 75 1999
For more vignettes of men and depression, go here.
We suicide in
hidden ways as
well. Nobel
laureate Angus
Deaton shows a
dramatic rise in
deaths associated
with psychological
distress for non-
Hispanic Whites of
either sex in the
past 15 years,
especially for
those 45+. If their
mortality declines
in 1980-2000 had
lasted, million
more people would
 More Analysis of CDC
Data
A follow-up study by David Squires and
David Blumenthal for the Commonwealth
Fund found:
Middle age whites were drinking more,
abusing opioids, & eating to obesity
thus falling ill.
Many who did not die also failed to get
better
While African Americans still die 4
years earlier than whites, their
Long term Dip of Real Income has
been worse for men than women
 But for All of Us,
There is Hope and Help
Major Caveat: If you have suicidal thoughts,
seek professional help.
But many of us have bouts of depression as
we encounter lifelosing a job, a spouse, etc.
Some depression at one time or another will
occur.
The concern is with how severe it is, how
frequently it happens, and how long it lasts.
A Proven approach to tackling depression is
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, explained in
the following 20 minute video
 Enter Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction (Jon Kabat Zinn)

Dr. Zinn studied Buddhism under Thich Nhat Hanh &

at the Insight Meditation Center.
He does not i.d. as a Buddhist, but as a scientist &
Professor (U. Mass. Med. School).
Nonetheless combined Buddhist practices with
sciencedeveloping his MBSR.
The 8-week program uses meditation centering on
mindfulness with Hatha Yoga
Studies show it to be effective for patients in
reducing stress and paineven terminally ill.
Heavy focus upon moment to moment awareness
 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
(Free Resources)

MBSR is not cheap! ($400-$500) since in hospitals

and therapy centers by well-trained practitioners
Since it has been studied scientifically & tested, i.e.,
proven effective, it has spread around the world
It can be used informally and less rigorously for self-
treatment to deal with a gamut of negative
emotions
The main tools are guided meditations of various
types together with body-scans.
UCSD has posted a great number of free tools at
their mindfulness based program
Also be
aware that
there are
other,
additional
guided
meditations
from UCLA
promoting
mindfulness
that can be
used to
combat
negative
feelings and
emotions,
such as
anxiety,
 Mindfulness Based Cognitive
Therapy
Following the success of MB Stress Reduction in dealing
with physical illness and pain, the approach branched out
in the last 2 decades.
The goal was to treat serious negative emotional states
(depression, addiction, fear) using the tools of meditation
& mindfulness.
CBT challenges your negative thoughts and then
substitutes more rational, valid, & positive ones
Mindfulness helps us become aware of these bad
thought processes, i.e., to recognize the chattering
monkey
Thus, MBCT was born: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive
Therapy = a tidal wave in therapy proven more effective
than CBT!
One of the best
summaries of this
approach is in the book
at the right (2007). Jon
Kabat-Zinn has been
collaborating with this
earth-shaking
movement in the
mental health field.
Studies are showing
MBCT is even more
effective than CBT in
treating maladies like
depression. CBT
challenges your
negative thoughts and
then substitutes more
rational, valid, &
positive interpretations.
The state of the art
book on MBCT came
out in 2015, written
by Elisha Goldstein.
He has been
instrumental in taking
the movement to new
heights, and is also
plugged in to the
digital world of
mental health
therapy help. This
Santa Monica
therapist is cofounder
of the Center for
Mindful Living in LA
(for a quick look on
Professor Ronald D.
Siegel, clinical
psychologist at
Harvard Medical
School, has put
together a stellar 24
lecture course on the
benefits of
mindfulness as
proven by research
and science. Copies
are about $80 for a
12-hour DVD (wait for
sale!). Go to: http://
www.thegreatcourses.
com/courses/the-posi
I have viewed
this course
and can
vouch for its
completeness
, accuracy,
and scientific
validity.
These are the
lectures,
running the
full gamut of
negative
feelings &
emotions. He
even added
 The Science of Happiness
An organization called The Greater Good is
made up of professors, scientists, and
therapists associated with UC Berkeley.
Using social, medical, and psychological
science, this group is promoting well-being
by using mindfulness at work, school, and
home.
Above all, their approach is rigorously
grounded in science and research, which
involves the heavy use of meditation.
Their link is: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu
From their
home page
you can link to
their world
famous MOOC
(2 million
students),
The Science
of Happiness,
that makes
heavy use of
mindfulness in
attaining a
more joyful
life. Or, go to
EdX to sign
up for this
free, on-line
course at:
 Some Ipad Apps
Preview CALM here
Preview ICBT here (I do
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
used by professional therapists
Preview University of
Minnesotas Wellscape App here
(for nature lovers everywhere,
and for those wishing a quick
 The End Goal: Self-
Compassion
Buddhists will recognize familiar guided
meditation themes in the MBCT tool kit.
Body scan, breath, acceptance of pain, loving
kindness, compassion for others, mindful
eating, forgiveness, acceptance of what is
But THE central pillar to MBCT is self-
compassion, loving kindness & acceptance of
yourself (with all your warts)!
It is Kristen Neff who has developed this tool for
ridding one of negative, toxic emotions
Especially important when these feelings target
Her latest book covers the
science proven importance
of cultivating self-
compassion through
mindfulness and
meditation. She is a
Professor of Psychology at
the University of Texas and
has founded a complete
Center for Mindful Self-
Compassion: http://
www.centerformsc.org
At this site, you can
download many free guided
meditations by
practitioners to help arrive
at compassion for yourself.
It is well worth taking 3
A Brief Guided Meditation

by Kristin Neff on
Self Compassion
In closing this presentation, you may
wish to do a brief 7 minute guided
meditation by Kristin Neff on self-
compassion.
Get comfortable, put your feet on the
floor, and before you gently close your
eyes, click here for 7 Minutes of Self