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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." - Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's Web sites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the Web site) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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July 3, 2009
Blog: Mindfulness — Embrace the moment and reduce stress
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
In this blog we often talk about how to deal with the incredible onslaught of pressures, expectations and demands we face every day. Many readers practice a technique called "mindfulness."
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Mindfulness is staying focused, engaged and completely absorbed in the task at hand. It means staying in the moment and not being distracted by phone calls or emails — or worries about the past or future.
I recently experienced mindfulness in a way that may be different from what you picture when you hear that term. I had the opportunity to address a group of professionals on issues of health and wellness. These were high-octane performers, and they had committed to spending 90 minutes with me. I did not want them to regret that decision.
I was totally absorbed in trying to meet the audience's needs. I did not let myself become distracted by worrying about the clock or jumping ahead to what I had to do at work later that day. I knew that I could not afford to lose focus. The 90 minutes flew by in the wink of any eye. And I think — at least I hope — that I met my listeners' needs.
Please share your examples of total engagement and mindfulness. We are all seekers, and we learn from each other.
12 comments posted
December 11, 2009 11:03 a.m.
Staying in the moment is a new muscle for me. I'm not yet used to it. I remind myself of something our spiritual director has said in church numerous. "Notice how you are feeling in this moment. Are you worried about anything this second? Ninety percent of the time, I can say I'm not. My new resolve is to spend 15 minutes a day doing some mental honing, keeping myself totally in the present and not worrying about the past, present, or the future. Barbara A Author of "Cry Depression, Celebrate Recovery."
- BARbara
July 8, 2009 8:19 p.m.
Staying positive is a mindset, a choice that we make no matter what life throws at us! I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said the following: "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." I understand that when things look bleak, we have a choice to become "bitter and depressed" or embrace the moment, accept and work through the best we know how. It's about focusing on the moment, believing in yourself and believing that you have inside of you what it takes to get though anything!!!
- - Sam B.
July 8, 2009 7:13 p.m.
I'm 47. Over a year ago, I quit smoking after almost 30 years but had a really tough time coping with the psychological withdrawal. I became depressed and anxious. (I have had ongoing problems with depression since I was 14 and with general anxiety since around the age of 30. I also have social anxiety and a congenital hip defect that makes me self-conscious in social situations. My doctor put me on Effexor and I am still taking it and find it is very helpful.) I went through 2 or 3 periods of deep depression and was having crying spells that would last for hours...twice in desperation I visited the emergency room on two separate occasions because I couldn't stop crying. Once I finally realized that I was worrying about past, present and future and everything in between all at the same time, I finally got it into my head that for my own emotional survival, I needed to start "living one day at a time" and in fact, I am successfully mastering living in the here and now, focusing just on the present moment. I am feeling much happier and secure and confident in my ability to stay a non-smoker for the rest of my life.
- Sandra McCash
July 8, 2009 2:16 p.m.
I definitely try to focus on the moment. I had surgery for breast cancer and it could be easy to feel sorry for myself. I try to live for today and look around at all of the people that are dealing with health issues. I refuse to live in pity and bitterness because it happened to me. No one wants to deal with illness. I try to smile and be happy and hopefully it will be contagious to others.
- Pedro
July 8, 2009 8:20 a.m.
In reading some of the"in the moment blogs" people sadly talk about medical problems(ie: depression,pain etc.)I would like to say we are all there or have been there,I am lecturing to myself as well! Stop focusing on that negative garbage,look around and see how well off your are compared to the next person,see what you do have and "focus on that moment" and move forward in your day.Also,do one thing nice for someone else less fortunate . A kind smile will even go a long way these days. One moment at a time, one kind act at a time and you will see that illness of any kind can improve or worsen by YOUR CHOICE IN THAT "MOMENT".
- Devon
July 7, 2009 7:28 p.m.
i think that i have dislexia or something because i am able to focus up to a point and on certain subjects of interest - like writing but when i clean my house i go from room to room when i visit a friend or even family i leave as soon as possible if it gets worse, and it has , as i age, i will never get anything done or have any friends or visit too long
- jay carmell
July 7, 2009 6:21 p.m.
I find it very difficult to focus on myself and my work, when other colleagues irritate me. I try to focus on my work, block it out, but it comes in and I end up leaving work, stressed, drained and emotionally battered. If I could let it all go and just focus on me. I find it hard and some of my colleagues are just plain unpleasant and rude and I stay on alert to try and minimise their impact on me, but it actually creates me more pain. Mindfullness is a brilliant idea, I just find it almost impossible to focus on me, when I am trying to protect myself from unpleasant interactions with work-colleagues. Sad, but true
- DoctorK
July 7, 2009 5:21 p.m.
A perfect example of being in the moment is the household dog or cat. They have no recollection as to what happened 30 seconds ago and have no concern as to what will happen within the next 30 seconds. They are totally absorbed in what is happening at the moment - be it eating, playing or just looking.
- Allen N
July 7, 2009 10:14 a.m.
reading the small para and blog i found my mind very light eventhough iam a depressed indvidual. THANKS.
- s.chandra shekar
July 6, 2009 4:52 a.m.
I had a similar i.e. *comparable* experience once: A Professor at The Free University Amsterdam invited me as his guestspeaker. He lectured Economics, International Marketing, I was an expert on *HONG KONG*, that *free-trading miracle* at the time. I *just prepared myself and started talking, looking at extremely *wiseguy* faces of about 100 students, who had actually *had stayed on* after normal hours (I learned later). At some stage I had said just about all available for such a general caleidoscopic picture, and at that moment I looked *helplessy* at the professor, sitting on a small stool near the door. He got the message, got up, *anybody any questions* he said, a few I replies to and then everyone rushed out of the auditorium. Pff, happy that it was behind me, I looked at the Prof. again: ?? was it ok ?? Child - he grinned (I am a woman, and was about 20 years his junior) DO YOU KNOW what you have just done - no I said, please tell me. *You just succeeded in *nailing* THE most difficult, critical students to their chairs for nearly TWO hours. Oh, I said, really. Well - - he continued, deserves a medal, normally, he added - they cannot even complete 45 minutes (the standard time for a lecture) I was surprised, also quite pleased. It must have been my voice *mesmerizing* them, I laughed. The professor *knew* I would succeed, I was determined to give my best (performance), and that was that - back to the office.
- Willy A.C. Holmes-Spoelder
July 6, 2009 1:39 a.m.
I've been working my way through stress-induced fatigue by taking my tramadol prescription. Finding out about this mindfulness technique may be the ticket I need to dealing with the fatigue naturally. Thanks. Miranda
- Miranda Kelly
July 6, 2009 1:36 a.m.
Being someone whose chronic pain is aggravated by the stress I put up with, I think I'd like to have other alternatives to dealing with the pain than simply downing the tramadol prescription I'm currently on.
- Abbey Yap
12 comments posted