Incidence and Predictors of Meditation-Related Unusual Experiences and Adverse Effects in a Representative Sample of Meditators in the United States

Meditation use in the United States is about as common as accessing mental health services, making it important to understand its potential harms. In a survey of 886 U.S. adults, nearly all (96.6%) reported an unusual experience related to meditation, 58.4% reported an adverse effect on a standard inventory, 78.3% endorsed at least one item on a scale of meditation-related adverse effects, 31.4% said they had a challenging, difficult, or distressing experience, and 9.1% reported functional impairment due to such effects. Psychological distress, psychoticism, unusual beliefs, and attending a meditation retreat were each linked to more unusual experiences and adverse effects. The authors recommend informing potential meditators about possible experiences, considering risk factors, and routinely monitoring for adverse effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Estimates suggest that meditation use is comparable to mental-health-service access in the United States. Understanding meditation-related adverse effects (AEs) is therefore critical. We aimed to (a) estimate the incidence of meditation-related unusual experiences and AEs using different methods and (b) identify sociodemographic and health-related characteristics predicting their incidence. We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based survey of 886 U.S. adults (approximately representing population age, gender, and race/ethnicity) stratified by lifetime meditation experience and type. Of the participants, 96.6% reported an unusual experience, 58.4% reported an AE (Inventory of Meditation Experiences), 78.3% endorsed one or more items on the Meditation-Related Adverse Effects Scale, 31.4% endorsed experiencing a challenging/difficult/distressing experience, and 9.1% reported functional impairment because of AEs. In a robust multiple regression, psychological distress, psychoticism, unusual beliefs, and meditation-retreat participation were positively associated with unusual experiences and AEs. It is essential that (a) potential meditators are informed about possible experiences, (b) providers consider risk factors, and (c) AEs are routinely and actively monitored.