There are clear fault lines in psychiatry and therapy, and reasons to question the validity of certain approaches to trauma found therein.
Unfortunately, something that gets missed too often is that the exact same fault lines exist in every extant lineage & tradition.
Conversation
I've been one of those people who meditated in response to extreme emotional discomfort and mental tension, but you need the same variables to line up.
1
To have a successful therapeutic experience:
You need a medical system that won't harm or abuse you, a therapist who is competent and compassionate, and a receptiveness to therapy.
To have a successful meditation experience:
Different terms of art, same problems.
1
You'll sometimes need teachers to guide you. Many of whom are not certified and so not vetted, and incompetent or dangerous even if they are.
You'll need the structure of a lineage or collection of techniques. Many of these are garbage and/or cult-like.
You'll need to be brave.
1
These things are never just served in your lap, and you can expect all of them to be even more challenging if you have genuinely taxing problems.
There is no utopia here, and no One True Path.