Trauma Advisory
Meditation helps some people confront, release, and transcend traumatic memories and feelings. At the same time, if traumatic flashbacks are triggered too soon in a person’s practice — before they can mindfully and compassionately hold it in their awareness — the flashbacks may retraumatize them and/or adversely affect their pre-existing mental health condition.
Typically, a warning like this is for people entering concentrated meditation environments such as retreats where a person meditates for many hours a day. Yet we offer it here because, although rare, traumatic memoires may be triggered from less-intense meditation practices as well.
Read on to understand the risks and what you can do about them.
What are the factors that put me more at risk for experiencing flashbacks while meditating?
You are at higher risk if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions:
Have you ever experienced a traumatic flashback?
Have you ever been diagnosed with PTSD or do you have a history of trauma?
Do you currently have schizophrenia, psychosis (on its own or as part of another condition), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder, mania, or clinical depression), or anxiety disorders (such as panic disorder, agoraphobia, or generalized anxiety)?
Are you currently taking prescribed or unprescribed medication for mental health issues?
Have you taken any mind-altering psychoactive substances (psilocybin found in magic mushrooms, DMT, cocaine, LSD, PCP, ketamine, weed, etc.) for spiritual, medicinal, or recreational purposes in the past 6 months?
Have you been struggling with addiction issues to alcohol or drugs or been to rehab for substance abuse in the past year?
Have you ever attended a meditation retreat and experienced unpleasant physical, mental, or emotional side-effects that negatively impacted your well-being and persisted beyond the duration of the retreat?
What should I do if I answered “yes” to any of the risk factor questions?
Discuss your situation with a psychiatrist or licensed therapist (ideally, one who is knowledgeable in trauma-informed mindfulness) to verify whether meditation is right for you at this time, and, if so, how to proceed safely.
If you have a therapist, it might be helpful for them to lead you in one-on-one guided meditations during your sessions.
We unfortunately do not have the resources to offer you the professional and specialized attention that your situation requires.
I can’t afford, or don’t have access to, Psychiatrists and Therapists. should I just avoid meditation?
We offer you this information so you can make an informed decision about what makes sense for your health and wellbeing. One option is to avoid meditation until you can be properly assessed by a mental health professional.
Another option would be to assume the risks and try meditation, while also taking precautions to limit your risks. Ultimately, only you can make this decision.
If you decide to proceed at your own risk, some ways to limit your risk include the following:
Always meditate in a safe location. Then if flashbacks starts to being, you can use one of the exercises below to halt the flashback and remind yourself you are safe.
Learn the flashback-halting protocol and/or the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding exercise. They are both explained below. Try them out and notice which practice seems easier, and offers you more of a sense of comfort and control. Plan to use that practice in the unlikely event that a flashback starts to happen while meditating. Download and print that practice so you can review it before you start meditating:
When using a guided meditation, always maintain your freedom to do what is wise, and listen to your own inner wisdom. We encourage you to listen to your body and its needs. If you need to move your body, it’s ok to seek a different position in the space or leave the room to take a break and come back. Staying attuned to your body and attending to its needs is part of the healing process, even when triggered. If something is asked of you by the meditation instructor that feels unsafe or unwise, don’t do it. If a flashback starts to arise before you are able to hold it in your compassionate awareness, then stop meditating and do the flashback-halting protocol or 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding exercise.
Maintain sobriety from alcohol and street drugs.
Ween yourself off of psychoactive drugs. For prescription psychoactive medicines, talk to your psychiatrist about if this is wise and, if so, how to taper off of them safely.
What is the flashback-halting protocol?
The flashback-halting protocol utilizes dual awareness – a skill mindfulness helps develop – to reconcile our mental experiences (the thoughts, images, sounds, and feelings of the flashback) with our sensory experiences (seeing and hearing the safe environment we are in). This usually halts traumatic flashbacks quite rapidly.
The Protocol is taken from: Rothschild, B. (2000). The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment. New York: W.W. Norton.
How do I do the Flashback-halting protocol?
Say the following sentences filling in the blanks, following the instructions:
Right now I am feeling ______ , (name the current emotion, usually fear)
and I am sensing in my body ______ , (describe current bodily sensations in detail)
because I am remembering ______ . (name the trauma by title, only — no details)
And, at the same time , I am looking around where I am now in ______ (say the year),
here ______ , (name the place where you are)
and I can see ______ , (describe some of the things that you see right now, in this place),
and so I know ______ , (name the trauma again)
is not happening now/anymore.”
What is the 5,4,3,2,1 grounding exercise?
This technique will take you through your five senses to help remind you of the present moment. This is a calming technique that can help you get through tough or stressful situations.
How do I do the 5,4,3,2,1 grounding exercise?
To begin, take a slow belly breath.
5 - LOOK: Look around and name out loud 5 things you can see. For example, you could say, “I see books, I see a window, and through the window I see sunshine, clouds, and a tree.”
4 - FEEL: Feel inside the body and name out loud 4 things you can feel. “I can feel an ache in my lower back, energy in my hands and feet, pressure where my seat contacts the chair, and pressure where my shoes touch my feet.”
3 - LISTEN: Listen for sounds and name 3 things you can hear out loud. “I hear a bird singing outside, far away traffic, and a gurgling in my stomach.”
2 - SMELL: Smell what you can smell and name 2 smells out loud. If you can’t smell anything, then name 2 of your favorite smells. “I enjoy the smells of vanilla and peppermint.”
1 - TASTE: Taste what you can taste and name 1 taste out loud. If you can’t taste anything, then name 1 of your favorite tastes. “I enjoy the taste of blueberries.”
Take another slow belly breath to end.
Click here for the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 grounding exercise PDF
Are there any other resources you recommend?
Yes. You may also want to read David Treleaven's book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing. This book goes into this subject of trauma and mindfulness in depth. However, it does talk about other people's trauma with enough detail to be triggering for some, so read it carefully and skip those parts that do not serve you.