Mind your meditation: Navigating drawbacks of mindfulness

Many self-help gurus will tell you that mindfulness and meditation are great ways to improve physical and mental health. These may also help you become more productive.

However, have you ever thought about its potential side effects? Willoughby Britton, PhD, a neuroscientist and professor at Brown University in Rhode Island, said people should look deeper into these impacts.

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Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not always good for everyone. Some may experience worse physical well-being and exhibit psychological disorders after engaging in mindfulness.

What are the negative effects of meditation?

Meditation or mindfulness involves becoming more aware of the present and surroundings. It usually involves sitting in a quiet place, closing your eyes, and noticing the details around you.

For example, some gurus may recommend paying attention to your breathing and listening to birds chirping or other ambient sounds.

Practitioners often meditate for a few minutes daily, allowing them to enter a more aware “state of mind.” Moreover, mindfulness could help one handle external stresses such as work to remain focused on their goals. 

Despite this, Britton told VeryWell Health that some people avoid discussing its negative effects. Here are the ones she listed and additional details from The India Times:

• Lack of motivation: Mindfulness involves detachment, so some may become too accustomed to it. As a result, they may lose interest in work and other parts of their lives. 
• Anxiety: Meditation leaves you alone with your thoughts, so it may bring back traumatic memories. Consequently, some practitioners experience fear and paranoia.
• Signs of dissociation: This psychological phenomenon involves being disconnected from yourself and the world around you. Mindfulness enhances your self-understanding, changing how you view yourself, which could make it difficult to bond with others.
• Sleep problems: Mindfulness boosts your alertness, making you more aware of soft noises. It can feel exhilarating to have a magnified sense of the world. However, Britton cautions that this may become troublesome if you can’t even ignore the clock ticking while trying to sleep.
• Physical symptoms: The India Times says meditation may cause pain, pressure, headaches, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, and other conditions.
• Flashbacks
• Emotional blunting or feeling emotionless
• Cognitive problems
• Perceptual hypersensitivity

Britton reiterates that she was not trying to detract from the benefits of mindfulness. However, the scientist recommends contacting a mental health professional if you exhibit negatives from meditation.