Meditation's Dark Side Revealed
ScienceAlert reports that mindfulness and meditation can cause heightened anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or emotional distress in some individuals, especially those with trauma history or severe psychiatric conditions. Researchers urge practitioners to approach advanced practices with caution and seek professional guidance if difficulties arise.
- Research from Brown University neuroscientist Dr. Willoughby Britton focuses on meditation-related adverse experiences; she founded the nonprofit Cheetah House to provide support for meditators in distress. - A 2022 study of regular meditators in the U.S. found that over 10% experienced adverse effects, such as panic or dissociation, that negatively impacted their daily lives for at least one month. - In their book "The Buddha Pill," psychologists Dr. Miguel Farias and Catherine Wikholm examine scientific research to separate fact from fiction regarding the benefits and unexpected consequences of meditation. - This is not a new discovery; the Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, a Buddhist text over 1,500 years old, details symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychosis that can arise from contemplative practice. - Specific documented adverse effects can include depersonalization (a feeling of detachment from one's self) and derealization (a feeling that one's surroundings are not real). - An $8 million study involving over 8,000 UK adolescents from 2016-2018 found that mindfulness practices failed to improve their mental well-being and may have had a negative impact on those already at risk for mental health issues. - Some individuals with pre-existing anxiety may experience "relaxation-induced anxiety," where the attempt to relax paradoxically triggers heightened muscle tension and panic symptoms. - In 1976, long before mindfulness became mainstream, cognitive-behavioral pioneer Arnold Lazarus warned that meditation, when used indiscriminately, could lead to serious psychiatric issues like depression and agitation.
