People with higher levels of depression are more likely to respond to loving-kindness meditation phrases (e.g., 'May I be safe') with oppositional thoughts, while those with better quality of life respond with more agreeable thoughts. The study analyzed 149 participants' open-ended reactions to 13 common metta phrases, coding responses as frames of coordination (agreement), frames of opposition (disagreement), or ambiguous. The phrase 'May I be safe' elicited the most coordination, while 'May I be at ease' prompted the most opposition. Findings suggest that individuals with greater psychological distress may benefit most from self-compassion practices yet also react to them with greater resistance.
Many people meditate to manage or control unpleasant thoughts and emotions, but this approach may backfire. In a survey of 98 undergraduate meditators, 58.2% reported using meditation to control or avoid difficult experiences. Those with control-based intentions reported higher worry, anxiety, depression, and negative affect, and lower mindfulness, compared with those who meditated with an accepting or open attitude. The more participants viewed anxiety or stress as a problem, the more likely they were to use meditation for control. The findings suggest that the intention behind meditation—control versus acceptance—is linked to psychological distress.