In the past, we have praised the benefits of mindfulness. We have also written about some of its drawbacks. It doesn’t work for everyone. It can also lead some people to become more selfish. New research has found more problems with mindfulness.
Neuroscience praises mindfulness. Using the practices of meditation to find stress relief is backed by fMRI studies. However, it can go beyond not working and be harmful for some people.
Using mindfulness, you are supposed to turn your focus inward toward yourself and your present moment. That can be a hard task and anxiety-provoking for many people. For others, sitting with their thoughts and becoming aware of everything they are thinking, feeling and experiencing can be overwhelming and unsettling. It’s not a calming experience if that doesn’t work for you.
A study using 953 Americans who meditated regularly found that more than 10 percent had negative side effects that impacted their daily lives. The symptoms lingered for at least a month after they stopped meditating. The problems occurred even in people without previous mental health concerns.
Another problem with mindfulness is its focus on helping people be in the moment. It is wonderful to feel and experience what you are doing in the moment. Learning to enjoy and pay attention to your surroundings can help you get more out of your day! However, it can go too far.
If people only focus on the here and now, they can forget about their past experiences and fail to plan for the future. You need to remember where you have been to not repeat past mistakes, and you need to lay the groundwork if you want to succeed in the future. If you live your life moment-to-moment, you get stuck in the day-to-day minutia instead of making progress.
Meditation can be an excellent tool when used correctly. And nice deep breaths can help you calm down. However, it’s essential to recognize that it isn’t helpful to everyone, and you should speak to a health professional about your mental well-being and stress levels. Stop and rethink your plan if you try mindfulness practices and find them uncomfortable rather than helpful.
One of the most basic forms of mindfulness can be beneficial to people managing their weight or blood sugar. People talk all the time about eating mindfully. It doesn’t mean you should obsess over what you eat. This means that you should pay attention when you eat and take the time to enjoy your food. By eating without distraction and thinking about your food, you tend to enjoy it more, feel less hungry later and crave things less often.
