Beyond serenity: Adverse effects of meditation and mindfulness in clinical practice.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review synthesizing existing literature without systematic review or meta-analysis methodology reported in the abstract.
PubMed 41176868 · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2025.102197
What was done
This narrative review synthesized recent literature on adverse effects, harms, and functional impairment associated with mindfulness, mindfulness-based programs, and meditation practices to provide clinical recommendations on screening, informed consent, and monitoring.
What was found
Reported studies indicate that 25% to 87% of individuals engaging in meditation report adverse effects, with 3% to 37% experiencing functional impairment such as an inability to work. Commonly reported adverse events include anxiety, depression, and traumatic re-experiencing. Retreat attendance and pre-existing mental health conditions were identified as potential risk factors, though causality remains unestablished.
Why it matters
This review highlights that meditation practices carry potential harms rather than being universally benign, emphasizing the need for clinician screening, informed consent, and ongoing monitoring.
Limits
The abstract provides very wide prevalence ranges (25–87% for adverse effects, 3–37% for impairment) without reporting sample sizes, specific study designs, or standardized definitions of harm. As noted in the abstract, causality is unproven, and it remains unclear whether reported adverse events represent transient discomfort or lasting clinical harm.