Both concentrative and mindfulness meditators outperformed non-meditators on a test of sustained attention, with long-term meditators performing better than short-term meditators. Mindfulness meditators were superior to concentrative meditators when the stimulus was unexpected, but no difference emerged when the stimulus was expected. The findings suggest that different attentional mechanisms underlie the two types of meditation, with implications for mental health.
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are increasingly studied, but most research takes a nomothetic approach, focusing on general patterns. This study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how three women made sense of their NDEs and the after-effects. Rather than uniformly leading to personal and spiritual growth, individuals selectively incorporate elements that are most personally meaningful. The integration of the experience is shaped by physical and psychological factors at the time of the NDE, and the experience can challenge a person's sense of self, affecting how they maintain and develop their identity in the years afterward.
Religious healing plays a significant role in mental health in Greece, where supernatural explanations for mental illness, such as the evil eye and spirit possession, remain common. Despite access to mainstream psychology, patients and families often turn to religious healers, perceiving ritual healing as effective for alleviating symptoms of mental distress. While studies indicate ritual participation can be efficacious, more research is needed to examine its efficacy for mental disorders. Ethnographic methods can help understand how attendees perceive healing, and biomedical assessments can reveal physiological changes.
Extreme mental states during meditation, sometimes labeled psychosis or spiritual emergency, are interpreted differently across spiritual traditions. Three meditation teachers from distinct philosophical traditions described these states' phenomenology, explained their nature according to their own traditions, and discussed supportive approaches. Having a spiritual teacher for guidance was considered significant. The findings suggest that acknowledging diverse understandings and cultivating a non-judgmental attitude could improve collaboration between clinicians and meditation teachers to support individuals experiencing such states.