Community conversations and shared experiences for people looking to discuss or learn from others about challenging meditation experiences.
Mentally unstable after vipassana retreat
This personal account describes someone who attended a 10-day silent Vipassana retreat in the tradition of S. N. Goenka. The author describes how the retreat involved strict silence, about eight hours of daily meditation, early mornings, and prolonged periods of sitting without movement. While the person experienced moments of clarity and optimism, they also went through intense emotional upheaval.
After the retreat, their mental state became unstable, with ongoing emotional swings and intrusive suicidal thoughts that feel distressing and obsessive, despite not wanting to die. They describe feeling fragile, confused about the practice, and unsure how to move forward, and they are seeking help and insight into what is happening to them.
After the retreat, their mental state became unstable, with ongoing emotional swings and intrusive suicidal thoughts that feel distressing and obsessive, despite not wanting to die. They describe feeling fragile, confused about the practice, and unsure how to move forward, and they are seeking help and insight into what is happening to them.