Mindfulness and Mental Health for All

How often do we go through day-to-day activities without paying full attention to them? For example, when you drive to work on the same route every day, do you realise the surroundings you drive past, or are you already thinking about the busy schedules ahead before you reach the office desk? After work, when you go to the park for a walk, do you pay attention to the trees, flowers, and the playing kids in the park, or are you still thinking about the past meetings or conversations you have had in the office? Whenever our minds wander to the past or future, we are distracted from what we are currently doing, feeling or being.

“Mindfulness is also defined in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.” (Jon Kabat-Zinn) Our minds are not at ease when we are not in the present moment. In other words, we need to be mindful of what we are doing. The effect of mindfulness, as one of the most widely researched mind-body interventions (MBIs), has been well established in improving the overall well-being of human beings, not only on mental health but also physical health.

One of my first research works on mindfulness was about a global evidence synthesis in critically evaluating and summarising the effect of mindfulness interventions in improving loneliness levels. In the systematic review and meta-analysis, mindfulness intervention with an average length of 8-week duration was found to significantly improve loneliness levels in populations with no obvious mental health issues. However, this evidence needs to be interpreted with the knowledge of the potential effect from studies with low evidence levels.

In view of the rise of the loneliness phenomenon amidst COVID-19 pandemic, an interventional study employing mindfulness with an emphasis of mindful breathing was conducted to evaluate its effectiveness in improving loneliness and mindfulness. The mixed method study showed calming effects and increased awareness levels amongst 103 university students.

The focus on mental health is not limited to the pandemic period, as mental health is always an integral part of our well-being, if it is not the most important one. My research works continue to focus on mental health.

In 2023, I was awarded with a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) from Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MOE) to study the burnout phenomenon amongst Malaysian pharmacists in both government and private sectors. Globally, almost one in two pharmacists experience burnout. The FRGS project is in collaboration with Pharmacy Board Malaysia (PBM), Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS), and Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild (MCPG) and is currently in progress. The findings of the project will be used to help develop guidelines or interventions for pharmacists in Malaysia.