Does relaxation bring on dissociation?

[Dutch Uncle]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I've been listening to meditations/visualisations and I dissociate when I'm listening to them.
[...]
I actually thought of listening to a visualisation to ground me and stop the dissociation, but then I remembered it sometimes dissociates me more.

Today I've read this article on Is mindfulness making us ill? ***The article might be triggering on depression etc.***
Now, I don't want to cause a scare, and so many people on this site have vouched for the positive experiences they have had with (mindfulness) meditation (as have so many people elsewhere), but I thought this was an interesting article.
I must say that from personal experience I do find that meditating at times takes me deeper into a 'sad' state, instead of bringing relief.
So for those who have similar experiences: We are not alone.

Some snippets from the article:

Farias looked at the research into unexpected side-effects. A 1992 study by David Shapiro, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, found that 63% of the group studied, who had varying degrees of experience in meditation and had each tried mindfulness, had suffered at least one negative effect from meditation retreats, while 7% reported profoundly adverse effects including panic, depression, pain and anxiety. Shapiro's study was small-scale; several research papers, including a 2011 study by Duke University in North Carolina, have raised concerns at the lack of quality research on the impact of mindfulness, specifically the lack of controlled studies.
[...]
Certain mental health problems increase the risk of adverse effects from mindfulness. "If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, there is a certain chance that you may find meditation too difficult to do, as you may be re-experiencing traumatic memories," Ruths says. "Once again, it's about having experienced trainers to facilitate that. We've seen some evidence that people who've got bipolar vulnerability may struggle, but we need to keep in mind that it may be accidental, or it may be something we don't know about yet."
[...]
"No one would suggest CBT was done by someone who wasn't trained," she says. "I'd like to see a wider discussion about what mindfulness is – and on what the side-effects can be."

edit: today I read this in Pete walkers cPTSD-book (p.183):

"In my experience, until the fight response is substantially restored, the Cptsd client benefits little from CBT, psychodynamic or mindfulness techniques that encourage us to accept the critic. In later recovery, when the survivor has removed the venomous stinger from the critic, these techniques can be quite valuable."

[tired]

reality is the goal but needs to be taken in small doses

this is why i sometimes suspect that what has helped me is the passage of time. every day, a little more realization, a little more truth, balanced with denial necessary for survival. the years i spent in analysis were so incredibly disruptive and hurt my kids. 

i think we like to fix things quickly because we imagine when it's done we will be happy .  That's why i love Eckhart Tolle.  he says you can be happy in the moment by acknowledging that you and your mind-stuff are separate things. you have a lot of trauma, baggage, etc. that you haven't sorted out and you will over time.  but right now, don't add insult  to injury by feeling guilty/anxious about the fact that your mind is doing these things.

i think it's like having a messy basement which is my issue. I sit here worried about it.  i work on it every month or so for a couple of hours.  it will get done when it's done.  some weeks i can't deal with it because i come across a dead mouse or something.  a person can only handle so much.

[Kizzie]

Wow Dutch, that article is disturbing,  but personally I'd rather know about things like this.  The T I'm seeing talked about having an "abreaction" to EMDR twice (BIG EFs afterward), and I'm wondering if that would apply here. 

Anyway, very good info to keep in mind given we have CPSD;  underscores the need for a trauma trained T.

[Dutch Uncle]

underscores the need for a trauma trained T.

Indeed. It's been my impression that this is the main message the article tries to convey.
No overall 'condemnation'. More in the vein of: "It's great to go to the gym, but be aware you may run into an injury."

[tesscaline]

i think we like to fix things quickly because we imagine when it's done we will be happy . 

For me, it's less about being happy and more about not feeling endangered.  The rest totally holds true though

[tired]

Tesscaline: Happy is one of those words I use when I want to sound "normal" but doesn't mean anything to me.   To me the pursuit of happiness is really the  pursuit of "whatever it is I imagine everyone else has that I do not have".

Also to clarify, when I say "we" in a post (we tend to think this or that) what I'm really saying is "I".  I project how I feel onto others and assume others feel the same. I know it's not accurate but let's just say I'm hoping. 

It feels so comforting and empowering when someone agrees with something I say or finds some truth it in it. 

[E Jill Riley]

I have to be careful when I relax at the end of yoga.  Almost always dissociate if I am not working at staying present.

[Kizzie]

HI and welcome to OOTS EJR      That's interesting about dissociating after yoga - is it that you're relaxed and it's easier to go away or something else do you think?