Meditation also has side effects — and it's good that science is finally talking about them openly
Published
In circles that love meditation, it's easy to forget that every effective method also carries risks. A study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science on a representative sample of meditators in the U.S. reminds us of this honestly — and that's good news for all practitioners.
The authors (a team including Julienty Galante, one of the leading researchers on meditation safety) analyzed the frequency of unusual experiences and adverse effects among people who meditate. Some practitioners experience among others. panic attacks, intrusive memories of difficult experiences, and in rarer cases experiences of depersonalization or dissociation. Previous studies also indicated that people with a history of childhood trauma may be more vulnerable to such reactions, especially when practicing during active depression.
What does this mean in practice? Not "meditation is dangerous", but "meditation is a real tool" — and real tools require judgment. A few rules that follow directly from these studies: intensive formats (long retreats, multi‑hour breathwork sessions) are not the starting point; people in a mental health crisis or with a history of trauma should practice with support — preferably combining practice with therapeutic care; and if practice consistently worsens rather than improves your condition, that's a signal to seek consultation, not to grit your teeth.
A responsible personal-development community isn't afraid of this knowledge — it uses it.
Source: Clinical Psychological Science (2025), DOI: 10.1177/21677026241298269; summary: ScienceDaily / Association for Psychological Science