Prevalence and patterns of meditation related unpleasant experiences among community based yoga practitioners

Abstract

Yoga is mainly known to restrain the emotional ripples in the mind but according to some studies, it may lead to some overwhelming challenges like uncontrolled emotional venting as meditation-induced adverse effects, along with benefits. This study intended to assess the prevalence and patterns of meditation-related unpleasant experiences (UEs), among 300 community-based yoga practitioners. In this mixed-methods study, a semi-structured interview schedule was developed to carry out the self-assessment survey. The Chi-square test of association was used for finding the pattern between the UEs and other variables. Total 114 (38%) respondents agreed to experience UEs. UEs were reported more in females (<0.01). Reporting of UEs was found to be associated with a longer history of yoga practice (<0.01), > 20 minutes of daily meditation (<0.05), perceived therapeutic effects of yoga in physical suffering (<0.01), perceived improvement in emotional well-being (<0.01), perceived reduction in negative emotional constructs like stress (<0.01), depression (<0.01), and anxiety (<0.01), due to yoga. The study suggests a high prevalence of UEs, which may be associated more with female yoga practitioners, longer yoga and particularly meditation practice, yoga-induced improvement in emotional well-being, stress, depression, and anxiety, and the therapeutic effects of yoga in the physical sufferings.