Close your eyes, let the thoughts flow without holding them back, focus on your breathing and, as if by magic, calmness envelops every cell of the body. This is the promise of meditation. At least in theory. Because in reality, the picture is more nuanced. While some people appeared peaceful, others experienced a much more unpleasant experience, as reported in an article in The Debrief.
A new study led by psychologist Nicholas Van Dam at the University of Melbourne confirms that mindfulness can provide incredible benefits for many practitioners – but for some, it can also be a nightmare. Anxiety, feelings of detachment, or confusion: meditative experiences, touted as protective, make some people skeptical… and scared.
In France, meditation has seen spectacular growth during the pandemic. According to a YouGov survey, one in five French people exercise regularly and 37% of them admitted to starting it during isolation. Once limited to religious practices, meditation has crept into everything: corporate seminars, medical applications, therapists’ offices. Mindfulness is gaining ground in traditional psychology – but without the safety protocols typically required for new therapeutic approaches.
“We typically conduct this type of research early in the development of a new therapeutic intervention program”explained Nicholas Van Dam. For various reasons, in the case of awareness-based programs, this does not happen.» In other words: meditation is becoming popularized faster than it is being regulated.
Meditation can cause anxiety attacks
To date, research shows that meditation leads to mental calm and a feeling of calm. But in recent years, several reports have emerged reporting panic attacks in conjunction with mindfulness sessions. Others described feeling separated from their bodies or identities. Testimony that intrigued the Australian team.
For their work, the researchers interviewed nearly 900 practitioners. Using a thirty-point questionnaire, they measured adverse effects experienced during or after meditation practice. “The devil is in the details”smiles the psychologist, explaining that without direct questions, many people are unaware that they are experiencing side effects.
Their conclusions underestimated the benefits of meditation: almost 60% of participants noticed at least one negative effect, most notably a surge of anxiety or feelings of disembodiedness. A third of them described this impact as “difficult” Or “hurtful”. People who are already psychologically weak before meditating are the ones who are most exposed. For many of them, silent retreat is synonymous with suffering.
“Our results do not suggest that people should fear or avoid meditation”angered Nicholas Van Dam. On the contrary, this shows that we must provide better information to the public so that they give their consent.» As with medical care, mindfulness programs should increase awareness of the risks.
Therefore, meditation is not a universal solution. “This exercise is not suitable for everyone”concluded the psychologist. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t necessarily mean the person is doing it wrong. Maybe it’s just that meditation doesn’t suit him..” Researchers are now calling for more detailed studies to understand whether meditation can cause stress – or simply reveal it.
