Potential dangers of mindfulness

Mindfulness has become over-hyped, misunderstood, and overly commodified. Since the year 2000 especially, mindfulness has flooded the public news media and scientific literature. When Is Mindfulness Right for You—and How Can You Know?

Every experienced mindfulness practitioner has had the experience of feeling worse after having practiced. Mindfulness tends to evoke or reinforce what is already going on in your mind and body. If you’re worried about something that will happen in the future, or can’t stop thinking about an event from the past, mindfulness may amplify your worrying, confusion, or suffering around this. When this is the case, there are other ways to self-soothe besides mindfulness; it’s one of many tools in the shed. The saying “everything in moderation” couldn’t be more applicable; too much of a good thing can always harm. Conclusion

Practicing mindfulness when you’re not mentally ready, or when you actually need a nap, to eat, a massage, to work, or an important conversation with a loved one can clearly create more difficulties than it’s meant to mitigate.

— Jessica Schrader