New research indicates that while meditation is widely promoted for mental health, a substantial share of practitioners report unpleasant experiences, with about a third finding them distressing. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam and colleagues say the findings underscore the need for clearer informed consent in mindfulness programs.
A study published in Clinical Psychological Science reports that meditation can produce unwanted experiences for some practitioners, including anxiety, feelings of disembodiment, and—in a minority of cases—functional impairment. The team, led by Nicholas Van Dam of the University of Melbourne, found that nearly 60% of meditators reported at least one side effect and roughly 30% described effects as challenging or distressing. About 9% reported impairment in day-to-day functioning. (sciencedaily.com)
Researchers surveyed nearly 900 adults across the United States in a cross-sectional, population-based study designed to approximate the U.S. meditator population using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Participants ranged from beginners to advanced practitioners. To capture experiences systematically, the team used a 30-item checklist that asked respondents to rate intensity, whether experiences felt positive or negative, and whether they affected daily functioning. (psychologicalscience.org)
The study identified several risk factors. Individuals reporting psychological symptoms or distress in the prior 30 days were more likely to report adverse effects. Attendance at residential meditation retreats—often long and intensive—was also associated with a higher likelihood of reporting at least one effect that impaired functioning. In the sample, 58.4% reported at least one adverse effect on a standardized inventory, about 31% reported challenging or distressing experiences, and 9.1% reported functional impairment. (psychologicalscience.org)
“This is the kind of research that is done at the very beginning of developing any new treatment intervention program,” Van Dam said, noting that prior estimates of adverse effects vary widely—from about 1% in a 2018 review of randomized trials to as high as two thirds in some studies. The lower figure comes from a systematic review of mindfulness-based programs that also highlighted limited adverse-event monitoring, while higher estimates have been reported in work by Willoughby Britton and colleagues. (psychologicalscience.org)
Van Dam emphasized that the goal is awareness, not alarm. “Our conclusions are not that people should be terrified, or people should not try meditation. It’s really that we think that we should do a better job of providing informed consent,” he said, comparing the approach to how risks are disclosed before surgery or exposure therapy. He added that more longitudinal research is needed to clarify causality. “These practices are not for everyone,” he said. “If they’re not working, it might be because it’s just not a good match.” (psychologicalscience.org)
