user12292: So I was doing breath meditation each day for 30 mins or so for around 2 years. Then over the past year I have found that it is causing me to feel strange and anxious when doing everyday tasks. When I meditate I don't feel the symptoms but during the day when I have to start thinking the symptoms come.
When its at its worst loud sounds can make me feel very odd (e.g. someone shouting or laughing suddenly and loudly). However, if I have to speak and have a conversation then the symptoms tend to go.
It's very frustrating because meditation has been such a great interest for me and has helped me so much in lots of other areas that I am reluctant to give it up completely. I am a pragmatist though and if the right move is to give it up completely then I will do that.
Has anyone else had any experience of this or got any advice. Obviously its a tricky thing to advise on as you don't know the entirety of the situation but any help would be really appreciated.
Cheers

user17009: So the situation is this: When you venture into the world you experience anxiety and a sense of depersonalization. When you return to your sitting practice everything becomes calm.
What is the problem?
The world is an anxiety-producing thing and the escape from it is to recognize that there is no personal-self there. 
Sitting and examining and letting go brings forth the perception of things as they are. Recognizing things as they are (they change, they bring pain, they are not you or yours) one should become anxious ... to escape by recognizing the impersonal nature of a world that is nothing but a vehicle for inflicting pain. 
Your mind has recognized both the problem and its solution. Your Persona fights tooth-and-nail to preserve the status quo by making you think the problem is solvable by going deeper into the world. It isn't. Your meditation is clearly telling you which way to go.
Read the suttas!

user5000: You said anxiety symptoms cease when you meditate.
A great opportunity for learning the cause of your anxiety has come to you. Once you see the cause, you'll become forever free of any form of anxiety. 
Now it's time to put the hard work of meditation you've done in the past 2 years into practical use.
Try this:
Make the anxiety arise. How? You already know how. Go into the environment where you start feeling anxious.
Once anxiety arises, go quickly in meditation and observe how the symptoms cease.
Then, come quickly out of meditation and observe how the symptoms arise.
Then, go again in meditation, but this time slowly, and observe how the symptoms cease.
Then, come out of meditation, but this time slowly, and observe how the symptoms arise.
Then, do the above very very slowly and observe very very attentively. Then do it again, but veryyyyy veryyyyy slowly and observe veryyyyy veryyyyy attentively.
Do the above exercise many many times. Observe precisely, like a scientist observes things under the microscope. You'll see the cause of your anxiety. Once you know the cause, you'll gain total freedom from anxiety.

user12005: Simple answer: It's a phase, it will pass.
Detailed answer: Mindfulness meditation doesn't result in a strictly upward curve in terms of clarity or perceived well being. This is one of the reasons for getting guidance from someone experienced, so that they can give you proper feedback on whether you are making progress or not.
If you don't have a teacher/can't find one, I can give you some tools for self diagnosis, let me know in the comments. But be warned, self diagnosis has its own issues and assuming oneself to be in different stage can cause unnecessary and needless suffering that one can do without by just sticking to regular practice.
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055922624acbaa64592c1c3/1347785254496/
refer to rows 2 (possible current stage) and 3.1 (possible reason for worsening symptoms)

12292: <p>So I was doing breath meditation each day for 30 mins or so for around 2 years. Then over the past year I have found that it is causing me to feel strange and anxious when doing everyday tasks. When I meditate I don't feel the symptoms but during the day when I have to start thinking the symptoms come.</p>

<p>When its at its worst loud sounds can make me feel very odd (e.g. someone shouting or laughing suddenly and loudly). However, if I have to speak and have a conversation then the symptoms tend to go.</p>

<p>It's very frustrating because meditation has been such a great interest for me and has helped me so much in lots of other areas that I am reluctant to give it up completely. I am a pragmatist though and if the right move is to give it up completely then I will do that.</p>

<p>Has anyone else had any experience of this or got any advice. Obviously its a tricky thing to advise on as you don't know the entirety of the situation but any help would be really appreciated.</p>

<p>Cheers</p>
 17009: <p>So the situation is this: When you venture into the world you experience anxiety and a sense of depersonalization. When you return to your sitting practice everything becomes calm.</p>

<p>What is the problem?</p>

<p>The world is an anxiety-producing thing and the escape from it is to recognize that there is no personal-self there. </p>

<p>Sitting and examining and letting go brings forth the perception of things as they are. Recognizing things as they are (they change, they bring pain, they are not you or yours) one <em>should</em> become anxious ... to escape by recognizing the impersonal nature of a world that is nothing but a vehicle for inflicting pain. </p>

<p>Your mind has recognized both the problem and its solution. Your Persona fights tooth-and-nail to preserve the status quo by making you think the problem is solvable by going deeper into the world. It isn't. Your meditation is clearly telling you which way to go.</p>

<p>Read the suttas!</p>
 5000: <p><strong>You said anxiety symptoms cease when you meditate.</strong></p>

<p>A great opportunity for learning the cause of your anxiety has come to you. Once you see the cause, you'll become forever free of any form of anxiety. </p>

<p>Now it's time to put the hard work of meditation you've done in the past 2 years into practical use.</p>

<p>Try this:</p>

<p>Make the anxiety arise. How? You already know how. Go into the environment where you start feeling anxious.</p>

<p>Once anxiety arises, go quickly in meditation and observe how the symptoms cease.</p>

<p>Then, come quickly out of meditation and observe how the symptoms arise.</p>

<p>Then, go again in meditation, but this time slowly, and observe how the symptoms cease.</p>

<p>Then, come out of meditation, but this time slowly, and observe how the symptoms arise.</p>

<p>Then, do the above very very slowly and observe very very attentively. Then do it again, but veryyyyy veryyyyy slowly and observe veryyyyy veryyyyy attentively.</p>

<p>Do the above exercise many many times. Observe precisely, like a scientist observes things under the microscope. You'll see the cause of your anxiety. Once you know the cause, you'll gain total freedom from anxiety.</p>
 12005: <p>Simple answer: It's a phase, it will pass.</p>

<p>Detailed answer: Mindfulness meditation doesn't result in a strictly upward curve in terms of clarity or perceived well being. This is one of the reasons for getting guidance from someone experienced, so that they can give you proper feedback on whether you are making progress or not.</p>

<p>If you don't have a teacher/can't find one, I can give you some tools for self diagnosis, let me know in the comments. But be warned, self diagnosis has its own issues and assuming oneself to be in different stage can cause unnecessary and needless suffering that one can do without by just sticking to regular practice.</p>

<p><a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055922624acbaa64592c1c3/1347785254496/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://static.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/5055922624acbaa64592c1c3/1347785254496/</a></p>

<p>refer to rows 2 (possible current stage) and 3.1 (possible reason for worsening symptoms)</p>
