Psychosis or spiritual emergency? A Foucauldian discourse analysis of case reports of extreme mental states in the context of meditation.
Transcultural psychiatry – October 01, 2019
Source: PubMed
Summary
Extreme mental states, often linked to meditation, reveal a significant divide in how they are understood. An analysis of 22 case studies shows two main perspectives: one views these experiences as psychiatric symptoms, while the other sees them as spiritual emergencies. This split affects help-seeking behaviors and meaning-making for individuals facing psychosis. Notably, three articles blended both discourses, suggesting that collaboration among clinicians, therapists, and spiritual teachers could provide diverse therapeutic options for those navigating these profound experiences.
Abstract
Meditation is becoming increasingly popular in the West and research on its effects is growing. While studies point to various benefits of meditation on mental and physical health, reports of extreme mental states in the context of meditation have also been published. This study employed Foucauldian discourse analysis to examine how the experience of extreme mental states has been constructed in case reports and what kind of practices were employed to address them. The study analyses how extreme mental states associated with meditation are framed within the scientific literature and how such differential framings may affect the meaning making and help-seeking of persons experiencing these states. A systematic scientific literature search identified 22 case studies of extreme mental states experienced by practitioners of various types of meditation. The analysis suggests a discursive divide between two dominant framings: a biomedical discourse which constructs such experiences as psychiatric symptoms and an alternative discursive, which understands them as spiritual emergencies. Both approaches offered distinct therapeutic avenues. This divide maps onto the disciplinary divides within the mental health field more generally, which may obscure a better understanding of these experiences. However, the two discourses are not necessarily mutually exclusive and authors of three articles chose to blend them for their case reports. A supportive environment could help those experiencing extreme state integrate them into their lives. Our findings encourage collaboration between clinicians, therapists and spiritual teachers in order to make a range of approaches available.