Going on mindfulness training courses could help many people in the UK, with depression seemingly a growing problem – so much so in fact that there are 39,059 daily searches conducted online using the word ‘depression’ in the UK.

This is according to the Priory Group, which found that there are 27 searches per minute for depression, 21 for anxiety and 22 for stress, which is certainly a very interesting insight into the nation’s mental health.

Yet despite how seemingly prevalent such mental health conditions are, there still appears to be a stigma attached to admitting having feelings of depression.

Deputy medical director and consultant psychiatrist for the Priory Group Dr Jeanette Downie said: “I get some people (fairly high powered businesspeople or people who are well known) who are terrified of people finding out and feel that they have absolutely ‘failed’ by being ill, and they often wait until they are really unwell before they come for help.”

By adopting mindfulness techniques, you can do an awful lot quite quickly to alleviate your feelings of anxiety, stress and depression. If you’d like to give it a try to see what an effect it can have on your mental health and wellbeing, make some time each day to mediate.

Sit down in silence and start paying more attention to your own breathing and the rest of your body. Your mind will naturally start to wander but don’t try to fight this – just keep bringing your attention back to your breathing. You can also practice this simple technique while out and about.