Mindfulness for the Treatment of Stress Disorders

Long-term stress can lead to mental and bodily dysfunctions and diseases. Stress also appears as a companion that worsens the course of existing diseases. Although the evolutionary perspective on stress offers a compelling framework for the increasing occurrence of stress-related disorders in modern societies, the underlying biological mechanisms are not completely understood. In this chapter, we describe the physiological response to stressors (allostasis) and how stress may cause harm to the body (allostatic load). We follow the explanatory track from epigenetic influences via altered gene expression to pathological changes. We finally discuss the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on these changes. Can the damage be reversed?