Episode #84. "Mind the Hype". Sharing the open secret about the side effects of mindfulness and meditation with Assoc Professor Nicholas Van Dam.

“Mind the Hype”

An open secret about the side effects of mindfulness and meditation

Did you know that mindfulness and meditation can cause sickness and side effects for some people? You may be shocked to read and learn about this. As all the information tends to portray that nothing can go wrong with mindfulness and meditation and every gets better. There have been about many articles published about its benefits, so much so, that sometimes people feel that they are bad for not practicing and now we are discussing how to put these programs into schools. We need to exercise caution because everyone is different. We certainly at the minimum wish to do no harm to anyone. 

 I was quite shocked to learn after reading a paper called “Mind the Hype” about the serious issues from too much mindfulness or that some mental health conditions, are contra-indicated. There are significant negative effects from over-achieving with meditation, in some cases, for example, at worst, psychosis, and can create worse outcomes than before the meditation practice. Today, we are joined on the Thriving Minds podcast by Associate Professor Nicholas Van Dam. Nicholas is the inaugural Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre and Associate Professor in the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne who is the author of the paper called “Mind the Hype”. 

His vision for the Contemplative Studies Centre reflects a desire for inclusivity, authenticity, integrity, and excellence, embedded within a rigorous ethical framework to ensure retention of the ethos of contemplative practices while simultaneously promoting their empirical study.

Nicholas completed a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and Psychology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison (USA), followed by an MA and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY (USA). Upon completing his PhD, Nicholas undertook post-doctoral fellowships in Psychiatry, Clinical Neuroscience and Psychiatric Neuroimaging.

Nicholas's research program includes exploration of the ways that meditation and mindfulness practices can support wellbeing, as well as improved understanding and treatment of high-prevalence psychiatric disorders (i.e., anxiety, depression, substance use), and is ultimately aimed at better understanding the human condition. He focuses on finding ways to mitigate maladaptive functioning and increase adaptive functioning.

 He has expertise in decision-making processes in psychiatric disorders, introspection and insight of self-concept via meditation research, and combines his extensive academic expertise in contemplative practice with an interest and understanding of the complex ethical, social and systemic issues associated with the 'hype, hope and reality' of meditation and mindfulness research and practice.
https://www.nicholastvandam.com/
www.profselenabartlett.com