Meditation and psychosis. A trigger or a cure?
Krzysztof Dyga, Radosław Stupak
Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy September 27, 2015 DOI: 10.12740/app/58976 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist Mindfulness meditation Psychosis Psychodynamics Psychological intervention Clinical psychology Intervention counseling |
| Citations | 33 |
| Key findings | Meditation may trigger psychosis in certain circumstances, but mindfulness-based interventions can help alleviate symptoms during psychotic episodes. |
Abstract
The article is a review and an analysis of studies concerning usage of meditation techniques in psychiatry and psychotherapy. A brief history and characteristic of meditation is presented, with emphasis on mindfulness meditation, which is a variation most widely used for health reasons. On the other hand, potential „side effects” of meditational practices are also brought into attention. The authors focus mostly on meditation's links to psychosis, describing both conditions in which meditation may cause decompensation, as well as presenting research on the effects o modified meditation techniques implementation among psychotic patients. In order to better understand the phenomena described the authors interpret meditation's effects using both psychodynamic and cognitive theories. Presented studies suggest that in certain circumstances meditation may trigger psychosis, but they also show that interventions based on mindfulness may play an important clinical role in the alleviation of symptoms during psychotic episodes.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Strong Mind, Strong Body: The Promise of Mind-Body Interventions to Address Growing Mental Health Needs Among Youth. Mental health science June 1, 2023
- Meditation-Induced Psychosis: Trigger and Recurrence Case Reports in Psychiatry August 13, 2021
- The relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and symptom severity in persons with schizophrenia-spectrum-disorders: a cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports June 4, 2025
- Meditation and psychosis. The comparison of the current knowledge in the light of scientific evidence and the experience of an Eastern meditation teacher Psychiatria Polska September 30, 2023
- Meditation-A Slippery Slope for Psychosis: A Case Series With Review of Evidence. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease August 1, 2023
and 5 more in the library
Cites 8
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
- Case Study of Ecstatic Meditation: fMRI and EEG Evidence of Self-Stimulating a Reward System Neural Plasticity May 22, 2013
- The effect of meditation on brain structure: cortical thickness mapping and diffusion tensor imaging. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience May 7, 2012
- Changes in spirituality partly explain health-related quality of life outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Journal of Behavioral Medicine December 2011
and 3 more in the library