Mindfulness and Autoimmune Disease
65% of people with lupus (SLE) will be diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
Mindfulness is an effective compliment to traditional treatment.
Mindfulness and Autoimmune Disease: A fresh approach
Autoimmune diseases like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis don’t just damage the body. They often bring long-term fatigue, pain, and unpredictable flare-ups, while also deeply affecting mental health.
For example, 65% of people with lupus (SLE) will be diagnosed with a mood or anxiety disorder (Penberthy et al., 2018) at some point in their lives.
Rates of depression, panic disorder, and even obsessive-compulsive symptoms are much higher than in the general population.
Traditional treatments rely on medications to manage physical symptoms and don’t always address psychological stress or the link between stress and immune system activity. That’s where mindfulness-based therapies (MBTs) come in.
A review of 21 studies found that mindfulness practices—like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)—offer both mental and physical benefits:
Psychological impact: Reduced depression, anxiety, and stress; increased optimism and coping ability.
Biological shifts: Some studies saw stronger immune function, including increased T-cell activity (important for fighting infection), improved telomerase activity (linked to healthy aging), and lower inflammation markers like TNF-alpha.
Better daily living: Improved sleep quality, less fatigue, and a stronger sense of control over symptoms.
How mindfulness can be incorporated in therapy sessions:
Body scans to tune into physical sensations without judgment.
Breath-focused practices that calm the nervous system during pain or stress spikes.
Gentle movement/yoga adapted for people with limited mobility or joint pain.
Thought tracking and reframing, teaching patients to notice negative thought spirals before they deepen.
Short, everyday practices—like mindful eating, mindful walking, or two-minute grounding pauses—so patients can use tools outside of therapy.
Mindfulness isn’t a cure, but it’s a safe, cost-effective compliment to standard care. It offers a way to ease emotional suffering, support immune health, and give patients real-life tools to better navigate chronic illness.
This article was inspired by the academic report Mindfulness Based Therapies for Autoimmune Diseases and Related Symptoms, published in 2018 by OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine. You can read the article here: https://doi.org/10.21926/obm.icm.1804039
