When meditation goes wrong: part one

When meditation goes wrong: part one

Author: ABC Australia August 28, 2026 Duration: 29:36
Meditation has a lot of benefits, but could it also have risks? Over the past decade, meditation and mindfulness have been promoted to reduce stress and increase relaxation. But there is another story of meditation that rarely gets told... one that involves anxiety, insomnia — even psychosis. Today, how one person went from being an evangelical mindfulness meditator, to a leading researcher on the adverse effects of meditation. Guests: Willoughby Britton Associate professor, Brown University Medical School and director of the Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab Pawan Sharma Assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Pattan Academy of Health Sciences School of Medicine Pierce Salguero Professor of Asian History and Health Humanities at Penn State University Credits: Presenter: Sana Qadar Reporter/producer: Fiona Pepper Senior producer: James Bullen Producer: Rose Kerr Extra information: Defining and measuring meditation-related adverse effects in mindfulness-based programs Prevalence and 20-year trends in meditation, yoga, guided imagery and progressive relaxation use among US adults from 2002 to 2022 Prevalence and predictors of meditation use in Australia and New Zealand: results from a nationally representative survey Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves polysomnographic and subjective sleep profiles in antidepressant users with sleep complaints Meditation-induced psychosis: a narrative review and individual patient data analysis Psychiatric Problems Precipitated by Transcendental Meditation The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Cheetah House To explore more great episodes from the award-winning psychology podcast All in the Mind with host Sana Qadar, download the ABC Listen app (Australia) or search 'ABC All in the Mind podcast' wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find more episodes on mental health, trauma, attachment theory, wellness hacks, and family relationships. You'll also hear interviews with experts like Esther Perel, Billy Garvey and Ethan Kross. All in the Mind is created for ABC's Radio National by specialist journalists and reporters at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Ever wondered what's really happening inside your head? Each week, All In The Mind from ABC Australia ventures into the complex landscape of human thought and feeling. This isn't just a dry science lecture; it's a thoughtful exploration of the experiences that shape us, hosted by curious minds who know how to tell a compelling story. You'll hear conversations that bridge the gap between scientific research and the messy reality of daily life, delving into topics as diverse as the mechanisms of memory, the challenges of breaking an addiction, or the ethical puzzles posed by artificial intelligence. The discussions are grounded and accessible, making the inner workings of the brain relevant to anyone interested in health, behaviour, or simply understanding themselves a little better. By tuning into this podcast, you join a community considering how our mental universe influences everything from our personal fitness to our social connections. It’s a weekly opportunity to pause and reflect on the fascinating forces-both biological and psychological-that drive what we do and who we are. The production brings together expert insights with genuine human stories, creating a space where complex ideas about the mind and behaviour are unpacked with clarity and depth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

All In The Mind
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