Mealtime
There are many psychological, social and biological benefits of eating meals with other people.
Sharing mealtimes is good for your mental health. Whether it be through sharing experiences with family and friends, winding down with company, bonding with family members or just having someone to talk to, mealtimes provide a great opportunity for us to set aside a specific time of the day or week to give us time to socialise, relax and improve our mental health.
Benefits of Shared Mealtimes
Psychological
Regular mealtimes which are shared provide a sense of rhythm and regularity in lives. They offer a sense of containment and familiarity, and can evoke deep feelings of contentment and security. Humans need structure and routine. Mealtimes offer people the opportunity to stop, to stand still psychologically, to reflect on their day and days ahead, and to listen to and interact with others. Mealtimes are also a grounding opportunity, a time when anxieties can be expressed and you can be listened to.
Social
Sharing meals helps to develop social skills in children. Children learn from behaviour modelled by parents and older siblings. Mealtimes provide an opportunity where children and adolescents can learn to listen and learn how to interact in conversation. The ritual of the shared meal continuously reinforces individual identity: who he/she is, where does he/she belong or what his/her role might be. Qualities such as empathy and understanding can be developed as views and perspectives other than one’s own can be discussed.
Importantly, mealtimes make people feel connected to others.
Biological
Regular mealtimes are good biologically. They provide rhythm and make us stop and focus on eating in upright chairs which improves digestion. The act of talking and listening also slows down the eating process.
Top Tips for Making the Most of Mealtimes
Make a Date
Set achievable goals. Choose at least one day every week which is set aside for sharing a meal with family or friends. This should be an event which is an honoured and routine part of every week, whether it’s over a leisurely breakfast , dinner on a Friday or lunch on Sunday. Make sure everyone is involved, both in deciding the day and in making sure it’s kept free.
Hassle Free Meals
When planning the meal try to choose something that is tasty but relatively simple and easy to prepare. This will ensure that the tradition continues and doesn’t become a chore.
Share Responsibility
Get others involved in preparing for the meal: someone to decide on what will be served, someone to do the grocery shopping, and decide who will set the table, do the cooking and who will do the dishes. Rotate these tasks.
Plan Meals in Advance
Planning meals in advance will save time in the long run and provide an opportunity to put a little more thought into introducing a variety of interesting dishes into mealtimes. Ask others for input into meal planning.
Involve Your Children
If you have children, over the course of time get them involved in all aspects of mealtime preparation from menu planning, to cooking, to doing the dishes.
Telly Free
Try to use the opportunity mealtimes provide to talk and share. A television on during a meal will be distracting, even if its only in the background.
Mealtimes Around The World
Across the globe there many different mealtime cultures, each with their own advantages. By looking at other cultures’ mealtime practices we can learn how to improve our own shared mealtimes. The Mediterranean and Japanese mealtime culture can offer us some valuable lessons.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet involves eating lots of vegetables, seafood, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, cereal and grains. It is widely acknowledged that Mediterraneans may live longer and healthier lives due to their diet.
Dinner in Mediterranean countries such as Italy or Greece is usually a big affair that is taken seriously. In some countries it is usual to start quite late in the evening. For example, in Greece, aperitifs often begin around 8 or 9pm with dinner at 10pm. Having meals in this slow and relaxed manner amplifies the social nature of the meal, and its associated benefits.
In Italy, lunch is seen as the social meal of the day, as children do not go to school in the afternoon and many small businesses close in the early afternoon. Therefore there is plenty of time to relax and enjoy the luxury of several courses.
Japan
Japanese cuisine centres around rice, noodles, soy products and a variety of vegetables and fish – therefore it comes as no surprise that Japan is considered as one of the world’s healthiest nations.
Japan is widely known for its tea ceremony, the Chado. This is a very formal, yet spiritual and relaxing ritual of the preparation and serving of powdered green tea. The ritual is designed to bring aesthetic, intellectual and physical enjoyment, and peace of mind to the guests. The important thing to remember is that although the ceremony may sound like it is carried out for the personal enjoyment of guests, the underlying reason for conducting the ceremony is to increase appreciation of the beauty of nature such as the sound of water and light. Therefore, drinking tea together symbolises intimacy, equality and tranquillity. Importantly, it calms the mind.
In Japan, people also tend to share a number of dishes rather than eating only from their own plate, which makes the meal a more social affair.
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Medication
For some people, drugs are a short-term solution used to get them over an immediate crisis. For other people, drugs are an ongoing, long-term treatment that enables them to live with severe and enduring mental health problems. Many people do not want to stay on medication for years, but it can help some people to lead the kind of lives they want to lead, without relapses and re-admissions to hospital.
Some people are reluctant to take medication at all, and doctors also vary in how often they prescribe it, and in what doses. All kinds of treatment have some placebo effect and some drug trials have found only slight differences between the effects of placebos and active drugs.
Although medication is easier to administer than talking therapies or exercise programmes, for example – which are also effective for many mental health problems – most have side effects and people may have problems when they stop taking the medication. Abuse of medication that has been prescribed to treat a mental health problem can cause additional problems.
Drug Categories
It is easy to get confused about mental health medication, partly because there are so many different drugs, partly because new drugs are being introduced all the time, and partly because the same drug may be known by several different names – the trade name, the generic name or the chemical group name.
- The trade name of a drug is the brand name given to it by the manufacturer – for example, Mogadon is the trade name of a drug for insomnia. If more than one company manufacturers the same drug, each will have a different name.
- The generic name of a drug describes the particular chemical family to which the drug belongs. Nitrazepam is the generic name for Mogadon and other such drugs to treat insomnia.
- The chemical group name of a drug describes the larger chemical family to which the drug belongs. For example, nitrazepam belongs to the benzodiazepine family. Other drugs in the benzodiazepine family include diazepam (trade name Valium) and temazepam (trade name Planpak).
Most drugs used in the treatment of mental health problems fall into four main categories: anti-anxiety drugs, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and mood stabilisers.
Prescribing Medication
Your doctor will consider a number of things when deciding which drug to prescribe.
- Your symptoms. Most drugs are designed to treat particular problems or symptoms, for example anxiety or depression.
- Your reaction to and sensitivity to a particular drug or class of drugs. Some drugs work better for some people than others and it may take some time to find the right medication and the right dose for you. Your doctor should monitor and review the drugs s/he prescribes for you to check their usefulness in controlling symptoms and their side-effects.
- The side effects or risks associated with a particular drug. All drugs have side effects, some of them unpleasant. Some drugs may also carry an associated risk. For example Lithium, which is used to treat bi-polar disorder, can be toxic. It is important that you know about any side effects and risks associated with a particular drug and that you tell your doctor if you detect any changes or difficulties in your tolerance of your prescribed medicine.
- His or her familiarity with or preference for the drug. Some doctors prefer some drugs to others, based on their experience of what works with other patients, or what new research tells them.
Questions To Ask
You may find it helpful to ask the following questions if your doctor has prescribed you any form of medication.
- What is this drug designed to do? Some drugs may be given to counteract the side effects of other drugs.
- How long will it be before it takes effect? Some drugs take several weeks to have any effect.
- What are the side effects? Some drugs can have unpleasant and worrying side effects.
- How long do I have to take the drug? Some drugs should not be taken for more than a few weeks; some may need to be taken for months or years.
- Do I need to take any precautions? Some drugs should not be taken if you plan to drive and some should not be taken in combination with other drugs.
- Are there any other ways to treat my condition? How effective are they? Alternatives include talking therapies, complementary therapies and exercise on prescription.
You can find out more about individual drugs, correct dosages and side effects from your GP, local hospital pharmacy department or chemist. You can also ask your psychiatrist or mental health team.
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Mental Capacity
‘Mental capacity’ means being able to make your own decisions
Someone lacking capacity – because of an illness or disability such as a mental health problem, dementia or a learning disability – cannot do one or more of the following four things:
- Understand information given to them about a particular decision
- Retain that information long enough to be able to make the decision
- Weigh up the information available to make the decision
- Communicate their decision.
We all make decisions, big and small, every day of our lives and most of us are able to make these decisions for ourselves, although we may seek information, advice or support for the more serious or complex ones. For large numbers of people their capacity to make certain decisions about their life is affected either on a temporary or on a permanent basis.
- A person with a learning disability may lack the capacity to make major decisions, but this does not necessarily mean that they cannot decide what to eat, wear and do each day.
- A person with mental health problems may be unable to make decisions when they are unwell, but able to make them when they are well.
- A person with dementia is likely to lose the ability to make decisions as the dementia gets more severe.
What Causes Lack of Mental Capacity?
‘Mental capacity’ means being able to make your own decisions
Someone lacking capacity – because of an illness or disability such as a mental health problem, dementia or a learning disability – cannot do one or more of the following four things:
- Understand information given to them about a particular decision
- Retain that information long enough to be able to make the decision
- Weigh up the information available to make the decision
- Communicate their decision.
We all make decisions, big and small, every day of our lives and most of us are able to make these decisions for ourselves, although we may seek information, advice or support for the more serious or complex ones. For large numbers of people their capacity to make certain decisions about their life is affected either on a temporary or on a permanent basis.
- A person with a learning disability may lack the capacity to make major decisions, but this does not necessarily mean that they cannot decide what to eat, wear and do each day.
- A person with mental health problems may be unable to make decisions when they are unwell, but able to make them when they are well.
- A person with dementia is likely to lose the ability to make decisions as the dementia gets more severe.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Many people provide health treatment or social care support to people who may have difficulties making some or all decisions about their lives. Details of the Assisted Decicion Making Bill 2013 is here: http://humanrights.ie/mental-health-law-and-disability-law/assisted-decision-making-capacity-bill-2013-finally-published/
The Act can apply to all sorts of decision such as:
- major decisions such as decisions about personal finance, social care or medical treatment
- everyday decisions such as decisions about what to wear or eat
The law works on the principle that everyone is assumed to have capacity to make decisions for themselves if they are given enough information, support and time. It protects their right to make their own decisions and to be involved in any decisions that affect them. A person’s capacity must be judged according to the specific decision that need to be made, and not solely because of their illness, disability, age, appearance or behaviour.
An important principle in the law is that just because someone is making what seems to be an unwise decision (even if they have an illness or disability) this does not necessarily mean they lack capacity. There are legal safeguards that must be followed when making a decision on behalf of some who lacks the capacity to make the decision – it must be done in their ‘best interest’.
For more information about Human Rights in Ireland
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Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an integrative, mind-body based training that helps people to change the way they think and feel about their experiences – especially stressful experiences – and is recommended as a treatment for people with mental health problems.
Mindfulness exercises are ways of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing, and yoga. Training helps people to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, they’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give more insight into emotions, boost attention and concentration, and improve relationships.
Mindfulness can be practiced by children, young people and adults. There are different ways to practice mindfulness. Group courses run to practise mindfulness in person and there are online courses too where you can learn through self-directed practice at home. You don’t need to be religious or spiritual to practise mindfulness – it can help people with or without religious beliefs.
Mindfulness and Mental Health
Mindfulness is recommended as a treatment for people with mental ill-health as well as those who want to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
There are also different sorts of mindfulness meditation which can help people in different ways. Evidence shows compelling support for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which helps people to cope with stress, and for Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which is designed to help people with recurring depression. They provide a flexible set of skills to manage mental health and support wellbeing.
The Evidence For Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to affect how the brain works and even its structure. People undertaking mindfulness training have shown increased activity in the area of the brain associated with positive emotion – the pre-frontal cortex – which is generally less active in people who are depressed.
More than 100 studies have shown changes in brain wave activity during meditation and researchers have found that areas of the brain linked to emotional regulation are larger in people who have meditated regularly for five years. The evidence for different types of mindfulness is promising and research has grown in recent years.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy combines mindfulness techniques like meditation, breathing exercises and stretching with elements from cognitive behaviour therapy to help break the negative thought patterns that are characteristic of recurrent depression.
Evidence shows that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy can, on average, reduce the risk of relapse for people who experience recurrent depression by 43%. Research also suggests that it’s particularly effective for vulnerable groups who are more likely to relapse (J Williams et al, “Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Preventing Relapse in Recurrent Depression: A Randomized Dismantling Trial”, 2013.). As a psycho-social approach to staying well, it’s a cost-effective and accessible treatment for individuals and providers (M Williams and W Kuyken, “Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: a promising new approach to preventing depressive relapse”, 2012).
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction aims to address prolonged periods of stress which can lead to poor mental and physical health.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction can be helpful as a single treatment to manage stress in individuals who do not experience mental ill health, as well as a joint intervention with other treatments for people who have symptoms of anxiety (W R Marchand, “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Zen Meditation for Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Psychological Distress”, 2012).
The approach incorporates different techniques including meditation, gentle yoga and mind-body exercise.
Research into individuals with “problematic” levels of stress found significant improvement in perceived levels of stress over the course. The findings of this research were consistent with other studies showing that changes in mindfulness “precede changes in perceived stress” (RA Baer et al, “Weekly change in mindfulness and perceived stress in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program”, 2012).
Who Can Benefit?
Mindfulness can be useful for people from all different walks of life and the number of areas that mindfulness is being applied to is growing.
Schools
Mindfulness has proven to be effective for children and young people, with school-based interventions having positive outcomes on wellbeing, reducing anxiety and distress as well as improving behaviour, among other areas (K Weare “Developing mindfulness with children and young people: a review of the evidence and policy context”, 2013). Evidence also suggests that children who used mindfulness practices more frequently reported higher wellbeing and lower stress scores (W Kuyken et al, “Effectiveness of the Mindfulness in Schools Programme: non-randomised controlled feasibility study”, 2013).
A successful Mindfulness in Schools project http://mindfulnessinschools.org/ was set up in 2007 and is now being taught in 12 different countries. This nine-week course is especially designed for school students, whether they be dealing with exam stress, bullying, or seeking to enhance study skills. It’s being used to improve students’ wellbeing as well as helping them to learn and concentrate better.
Pregnancy
A limited amount of research into mindfulness during pregnancy has shown encouraging results on the positive impact of mindfulness, finding ‘significantly’ reduced anxiety (C Vieten, “Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention during pregnancy on prenatal stress and mood: results of a pilot study”, 2007).
We are currently supporting research at the University of Oxford on the impact of mindfulness practice in pregnancy.
Workplace
Mindfulness in the workplace has been popularised by a number of global companies including Google. However among smaller businesses mindfulness is not yet widespread.
There is growing evidence, shown by initial studies, that mindfulness in the workplace can have a number of positive effects. These include a decrease in perceived stress, and an increase in better concentration levels including memory tasks and multi-tasking. Research in 2012 found that mindfulness in the workplace could be an effective intervention to target ”high stress levels, sleep quality, and autonomic balance” (RQ Wolever et al, “Effective and viable mind-body stress reduction in the workplace: a randomized control trial”, 2012).
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For Further Support Contact The Samaritans
Samaritans is a unique charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide. Every six seconds they respond to a call for help. They’re there 24/7, before, during and after a crisis and they make sure there’s always someone there, for anyone who needs someone.
”I get this bubble of rage. I go wild. I feel like crying cos I don’t know how to control myself. It happens too quickly..
”I get this bubble of rage. I go wild. I feel like crying cos I don’t know how to control myself. It happens too quickly.
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