Meditation and psychosis: trigger or cure?

Aug 23, 2026

A review examines how meditation techniques are used in psychiatry and psychotherapy, outlining key historical background and the core characteristics of meditation, with special focus on mindfulness meditation as a health intervention. The article highlights possible adverse effects and explains links between meditation and psychosis. It discusses situations where meditation may worsen or trigger psychosis while also presenting evidence that modified mindfulness-based approaches can reduce symptoms during psychotic episodes, interpreted through psychodynamic and cognitive theories.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Summary

Meditation in Western and Eastern traditions

Mindfulness meditation

Definitions and therapeutic development

Archives of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, 2015; 3: 48–58 DOI: 10. 12740/APP/58976 Meditation and psychosis: trigger or cure? Krzysztof Dyga, Radosław Stupak Summary This is a review of studies concerning the use of meditation techniques in psychiatry and psychotherapy. A brief history and characteristics of meditation are presented, with an emphasis on mindfulness meditation, which is a type most widely used as a health intervention. Potential adverse effects of meditational practices are also brought to attention. We focus mostly on the links of meditation to psychosis, describing both conditions in which meditation may cause decompensation, as well as presenting research on the effects of the implementation of modified meditation techniques in psychotic patients. In order to better understand the phenomena described we interpret the effects of meditation using psychodynamic and cognitive theories. The studies presented here 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. meditation / mindfulness / psychosis / schizophrenia / psychotherapy INTRODuCTION “Meditation” in the Western world used to refer to philosophical thinking or deliberation that focuses on a particular topic or question, usually of deep existential or metaphysical importance (e.g. Rene Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy ). However, with the rise of counter-cultural movements during the 1960s and early 1970s, a more Eastern meaning of this term was incorporated into Western culture: meditation became seen as a phenomenon that does not engage the thinking process but, on the contrary, seeks to disengage it [1] . Nowadays, meditation is a term commonly used for various mental exercises consisting of techniques of concentration or contemplation, such as sitting meditation, walking meditation, repeating a mantra, breath exercises, tai chi, qigong, some aspects of yoga, etc. Although Krzysztof Dyga1, Radosław Stupak2 : 1Institute of Psychology, Health Psychology Unit, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland, 2Institute of Psychology, General Psychology Unit , Jagiellonian University. Corre spondence address: [krzysztof.jan.dyga@gmail.com](krzysztof.jan.dyga@gmail.com) this type of meditation is known in and inherent to many different religions, it seems that its most mature and sophisticated forms can be found in Buddhism. The most widespread form of Christian meditation is a technique developed by John Main OSB and propagated by the World Community for Christian Meditation. This technique is essentially a concentrative meditation with the focus on a mantra word. In psychological terms meditation is a state of increased introversion maintained in an attempt to quieten daily thoughts and emotions and quell “busyness”. It is believed that a state of passive awareness can be achieved by stopping the flow of rational thought and normal mental activity [2, 3] . This is the type of meditation this article focuses on. Meditation understood in this way refers to dwelling in a state of consciousness with a single-pointed focus or dwelling in a state of alertness/wakefulness without a particular focus [1], reflecting the classic distinction between concentrative meditation and mindfulness meditation. In the Western world these techniques rarely appear in their “pure” form. Their most popular Western modifications are transcendental meditation and mindfulness meditation. The first is Meditation and psychosis: trigger or cure? 49 not only a specific technique, but also an institution or even a cult. From the functional point of view, transcendental meditation engages focused attention while mindfulness meditation embraces not only focused attention but also open monitoring [4] . In this article we will focus mostly on the latter type. Mindfulness meditation Mindfu

FAQs

What is the main question addressed by the article?

The article asks whether meditation acts as a trigger or a cure in psychosis, especially in relation to psychotic episodes.

Which meditation type receives the most focus?

The review focuses mainly on mindfulness meditation, describing it as the most widely used health intervention in this context.

What potential risks are discussed regarding meditation practices?

The article draws attention to possible adverse effects and notes that, in some circumstances, meditation may trigger or contribute to the decompensation of psychosis.

Aug 23, 2026

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