當正念練習中因勾起創傷而感到不適

Mindfulness is more than a calming exercise

Mindfulness can support calm for some people at some times. It is not, however, a way to make every feeling disappear. It is a form of awareness training: noticing what is happening in your mind, body and immediate surroundings with enough room to choose what you do next.

That is why mindfulness can sometimes feel intense. When attention turns inward, you may notice feelings, sensations or memories that you had not been attending to. For someone with a trauma history, that can include longstanding responses linked with earlier experiences. This does not mean the practice has caused the trauma, or that every memory that arises is a complete or exact record. It may simply mean that the practice is too intense or too inward-focused for you right now.

Why can mindfulness feel triggering after trauma?

Many practices ask you to sit still, close your eyes, notice your breathing or scan inside your body. For someone whose body sensations, stillness or inward attention have become linked with fear, this can feel less like settling and more like being left alone with an alarm response.

That reaction does not mean you are doing mindfulness badly. Mindfulness-based approaches may be useful for some trauma-related symptoms, while research on meditation also documents unwanted experiences and gaps in how these are reported.^[1] The useful question is whether this particular practice, at this pace, is helping you stay connected to the present.

A practice does not need to uncover a memory or produce a deep insight to be worthwhile. For many people, the first task is simply to have more choice about where attention goes.

Signs to pause or change course

A little discomfort is not always a reason to stop, particularly in a well-supported therapy context. But it is reasonable to stop a self-guided practice if you notice that you are becoming more panicky, shut down, confused about where you are, strongly detached from your body, or unable to settle after the exercise ends.

Try beginning with the current environment

An externally focused practice can keep one foot firmly in the present. It is still mindfulness, but the object of attention is something around you rather than a memory, emotion or internal sensation.

Try this for 30 seconds: keep your eyes open and name three neutral things you can see. Notice one sound that belongs to this moment. Feel the support of the chair, floor or your feet in your shoes. Then decide whether to continue, shift attention elsewhere or stop. Grounding guidance from the US National Center for PTSD similarly uses simple questions about what a person can see, hear and feel in the immediate environment, and advises stopping if the technique worsens distress.^[2]

This is not a promise that every sensory practice will feel comfortable. Some sounds, body sensations or places can also be reminders. Keep your options open: choose a different sense, a different place or a different activity.

A few ways to make practice gentler

• Keep it brief. Start with 20 to 60 seconds, then check how you feel before deciding whether to continue.
• Choose eyes-open practice. Look at a familiar object, colours in the room or movement outside the window.
• Use movement. A slow walk, stretching or making a cup of tea can be a more manageable present-moment practice than sitting still.
• Give yourself options. Sit near a door, keep a light on, play neutral background sound or skip breath focus if it is not working for you.
• Bring the reaction to therapy. A clinician can help work out what was activating and adapt a practice without forcing exposure.

Mindfulness in trauma therapy should allow choice

Mindfulness is one tool, not a test of whether you are ready for trauma work. A trauma-informed approach makes room for consent, pacing and feedback. If you are considering therapy, EMDR therapy at Breathe-n-Smile is discussed collaboratively and does not require you to force yourself through a meditation practice.

您或許也會發現閱讀以下內容很有幫助： why trauma can still feel present years later. That guide explains how present cues can reactivate strong responses without making assumptions about what a reaction means.

常見問題

Should I push through if mindfulness makes me feel worse?

No. Feeling uncomfortable is not automatically harmful, but a practice that leaves you overwhelmed, detached, panicky or unable to return to the present is a sign to pause. You can switch to an eyes-open, externally focused activity or discuss the reaction with a qualified clinician.

Can I practise mindfulness with my eyes open?

Yes. Mindfulness can include noticing what you see, hear and touch in your current surroundings. You do not need to close your eyes, sit still, focus on your breath or search for a deep insight for a practice to count.

Does mindfulness work for everyone with trauma?

No single practice works for everyone. Mindfulness-based approaches may help some people with trauma-related symptoms, but the research also documents unwanted experiences. Pace, choice, context and the type of practice matter. A clinician can help adapt an approach to your needs.

您可能也對以下內容有興趣

• Leaves on a Stream: a mindfulness exercise for a practice that can be adapted or stopped if it is not a good fit.
• Dropping Anchor: a mindfulness exercise for an ACT-informed way to notice the present while taking one small action.
• 什麼是創傷知情療法？ for a broader explanation of pace, safety and collaboration in therapy.

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Our team can explain appointment options and whether a trauma-informed approach may be a good fit. Please keep an online enquiry to practical booking details rather than sensitive clinical history.

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參考

1. Farias M, Maraldi E, Wallenkampf KC, Lucchetti G. Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies: a systematic review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2020;142(5):374-393.
2. 美國退伍軍人事務部國家創傷後壓力症候群中心。. Increasing situational awareness: the grounding technique.
3. Systrom A, et al. Integrating choice points into mindfulness training for the dissociative subtype of PTSD: a case report. 正念. 2024.

General information only. It does not replace individual psychological or medical advice. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, call 000.