Exploring the Hazards in an Age-Old Tradition
In the wake of growing enthusiasm for meditation and mindfulness as strategies for alleviating stress and enhancing mental health, emerging studies are casting a spotlight on their lesser-known downsides—adverse impacts that seldom make it into widespread conversation.
Mindfulness meditation, with its foundations in Buddhism, emphasizes the attentive awareness of the present moment, including thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. The ancient Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, dating back 1,500 years from India, was among the initial sources to describe experiences such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, and dissociation as possible byproducts of meditative practices.
Contemporary research has confirmed these historical observations, showing that these negative experiences can be more than just isolated incidents. Surveying 953 American meditation practitioners, a study from 2022 disclosed that more than 10% encountered significant negative effects that impacted their everyday activities for upwards of a month. A thorough investigation in 2020, which scrutinized four decades of meditation research, spotted frequent reports of anxiety, depression, and more intense issues, ranging from psychosis to depersonalization.
The risk is not exclusive to people who already struggle with mental health issues or who are deeply immersed in meditation. Even among individuals with no pre-existing psychological concerns, and following only moderate involvement in meditative practices, there have been instances of persistent and troubling symptoms.
The use of meditation has been subject to scrutiny by experts such as Arnold Lazarus, a prominent cognitive-behavioral therapist, who as far back as 1976 cautioned against the reckless promotion of meditation due to its potential to trigger grave psychiatric disorders.
Although the positive aspects of meditation are well-documented, mindfulness mentors and associated platforms rarely mention the risk of negative impacts. In his 2023 book “McMindfulness,” Ronald Purser, an academic and ordained Buddhist instructor, critiqued the billion-dollar meditation industry within the US for its commercialized approach that overlooks the ethical responsibilities of presenting a practice without adequate cautions.
The discourse surrounding mindfulness predominantly echoes a positive note, disregarding studies like the expensive project funded by the Wellcome Trust, which indicated that mindfulness might not be beneficial or could even exacerbate mental health difficulties in children who are prone to such issues.
The Challenges of Meditation Practices
As mindfulness techniques are widespread and sold, a significant number of teachers are not cognizant of the potential dangers and frequently neglect the worries of those who encounter negative experiences, suggesting they merely persist with their meditation.
While research on secure meditation methods is relatively undeveloped, resources are starting to materialize, including accounts from individuals who have endured intense adverse effects and scholarly discussions on the topic.
In the United States, a clinical service has been set up to offer support to those who have suffered acute or long-standing issues due to meditation, headed by a mindfulness research expert. For mindful practices to be advocated as a safe therapeutic option, it’s crucial that the public is aware of the possible risks involved.
This article incorporates insights from Miguel Farias, an Associate Professor in Experimental Psychology at Coventry University, and is adapted from an original piece by The Conversation licensed under Creative Commons..
