3 cases when meditation can be harmful. A psychologist tells us

Meditation today is presented as a universal tool for calmness, mindfulness and self-improvement. But instead of calmness, meditation can cause a whole range of negative emotions and even provoke an outbreak of full-blown psychosis. How to avoid this, tells the expert.

psychologist, hypnotherapist, lecturer at the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis

When it comes to meditation, they usually talk about how it is useful. It is an opportunity to rest, to switch, to focus attention, etc. But not everyone mentions that it can also be dangerous for a person.

Why people meditate

The purpose of any meditative practice is to develop sensory-emotional perception. Based on this goal, tasks are set and solved. In the modern human consciousness there is a shift towards thinking and logical analysis, because it is easier and more convenient. Even philosopher Rene Descartes in the XVII century said: “I think, therefore I exist”.

Feelings and emotions are not subject to the principles of formal logic and are more difficult to manage. They require more attention to work through, but it is in them that the greater potential lies. That is why emotional intelligence and its development are so important.

Unfortunately, people often run away from their unprocessed feelings, from their condition, from their fears, filling their lives with endless running away from themselves, avoiding any opportunity to be alone with themselves. And meditative practice implies immersion into one’s inner world, and, accordingly, getting inside, there is a possibility of meeting oneself. It is not always easy.

When to meditate is not worth it

People constantly hear that meditation brings focus, joy, and love. As a result, they are unprepared to find chaos, despair, and fear in their subconscious mind.

Depression

Depression, unprocessed traumas, and other negative states can be exacerbated by meditation classes, creating intense discomfort and manifesting “inner conflicts.” Therefore, when in such states, one should be very mindful and cautious about meditation practices.

Studies have shown that meditation sometimes intensifies anxiety attacks and symptoms of depression. In some cases, people who have not experienced these conditions before experience them for the first time precisely during meditation.

Scientists hypothesize that the brain responds to the attempt to calm thoughts differently than a person is used to. In addition, if depression and anxiety are accompanied by intrusive thoughts, you may pay even more attention to them than usual when meditating and thus intensify them.

We wrote more about depression and its signs in the material at the link.

This does not mean that in a depressed state and anxiety, you can not meditate at all. Specialists note that meditation is good for reducing stress levels and feel calmer, and therefore support mental health. Avoid negative side effects can be avoided if you use this practice as an adjunct to the main treatment of depression and anxiety, as well as timely report your condition to your doctor. And if it turns out that meditation is still not the best choice, try other mindfulness techniques.

Lack of motivation

In other words, procrastination or meditation. In 2017, scientists from Brown University and California State University revealed that meditation can decrease motivation levels. This is mostly seen in those who had problems with this indicator before starting the practice. Sometimes meditation is perceived as a detachment from everything that is happening, a complete absence of desires and emotions. Striving for such a state, a person loses motivation to do anything at all.

With unresolved psychological trauma

We meditate to get to know ourselves and our emotions better. But there are some emotions that we need to be prepared for. Research shows that if we have suppressed emotions or experiences for a long time, meditation will only awaken them. They can manifest as panic, anxiety, depression and other similar feelings. This leads to retraumatization – re-living the trauma. Dealing with these experiences on your own is very difficult.

In order to reduce the risks, carefully study the topic and techniques of meditation, as well as your emotional state. In some cases, it is better to consult a specialist.

About how to properly analyze your life and emotions, we wrote in our material.