Altered states of consciousness associated with practices such as yoga, mindfulness, meditation and breathwork are far more common than expected, according to a new study from a team that includes researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital.
While many people surveyed reported positive outcomes from these experiences, a significant minority had negative experiences. The results are published in the journal Mindfulness.
Experiences included derealization (a feeling of being detached from the environment), unity (a feeling of oneness or “oneness”), ecstatic excitement, vivid perceptions, changes in perceived size, bodily heat or electricity, out-of-body experiences, and perceptions of non-physical light.
45% Of 3,135 adults surveyed in the United States and the United Kingdom, 56 reported experiencing at least one non-drug-induced altered state of consciousness.
“Given that more and more people are turning to mindfulness, meditation, and other contemplative and mind-body practices, we suspected that altered states and their effects might be common among the general population,” said lead author Matthew D. Satchett, director of the Meditation Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “To investigate, we conducted a series of international surveys and found that such experiences are indeed widespread.
“Altered states of consciousness almost always have a positive impact on well-being and can sometimes be transformative,” Satchett added, “although there have been some reported cases of negative effects on well-being and a small number of individuals have reported significant distress.”
For the study, a panel of experts in psychiatry, neuroscience, meditation, and research design developed a questionnaire about experiences of altered states of consciousness.
Of 3,135 US and UK adults who responded to an online survey, 45 percent reported experiencing a non-drug-induced altered state of consciousness at least once in their life.
This is significantly higher than the estimated 5% (US) to 15% (UK) of the population who practice mindfulness.
Respondents reported a mixture of positive and negative well-being after the degenerative condition, with 13% reporting moderate to severe distress and 1.1% reporting life-threatening distress. Of those who experienced distress, 63% did not seek help.
63% People who had a bad experience did not seek help
“Our research shows that altered states of consciousness are not extremely rare or unusual, but rather common variations of normal human experience,” said Satchett, “but we find that people who experience the negative outcomes associated with these states often do not seek help, and clinicians are ill-prepared to recognize or support these types of experiences. This contributes to what is considered a public health problem, as a certain number of people have difficulty integrating their experiences of altered states into their existing concept of self and reality.”
Satchett noted that further research is needed to identify the individual characteristics associated with experiencing altered states of consciousness and the potential distress associated with these states, and he also stressed the importance of translating this research into patient care.
“Meditation and other practices should not be dismissed as inherently dangerous, but rather we need to better understand meditators and support them in realizing the full potential of these practices,” he said. “As with psychotherapy, pharmacology, and other therapeutic tools, it is important to learn how to best implement and support these powerful practices for those who engage with them.”
He adds: “Ancient meditation manuals from wisdom traditions may help us classify and understand altered states of consciousness. They may offer guidance on how to better manage altered states when they are difficult. Clearly more research is needed to further explore and understand this possibility.”
“Clinical curricula on altered states of consciousness should be developed to better support clinicians caring for patients experiencing the distress associated with these experiences.”
“And those who teach meditation practices should make sure that participants are aware of the potential risks,” he said. “These kinds of safeguards combined will ensure that these very promising and powerful practices are taught and experienced safely.”
This research was funded by the following: Massey University and Emergence Supporters.
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