372 results for "Mystical Experience"
Therapeutic Alliance and Rapport Modulate Responses to Psilocybin Assisted Therapy for Depression
Frontiers in Pharmacology – March 31, 2022
Summary
A strong bond with a psychotherapist significantly enhances psilocybin's impact on depression. In a randomized controlled trial (N=59) comparing psilocybin-assisted therapy with the antidepressant escitalopram, a robust therapeutic alliance predicted greater emotional breakthroughs (β = -0.22, R² = 0.42) and mystical experiences in the psilocybin group (n=30). Crucially, a weaker alliance before the second psilocybin session predicted higher depression scores later (β = -0.49). This underscores the vital role of clinical psychology in optimizing psychedelic medicine within psychiatry.
Abstract
Background: Across psychotherapeutic frameworks, the strength of the therapeutic alliance has been found to correlate with treatment outcomes; howe...
Replication and extension of a model predicting response to psilocybin.
Psychopharmacology – November 01, 2019
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Recent research demonstrated the potential of psychedelic drugs as treatment for depression and death-related anxiety and as an enhancement for wel...
Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Frontiers in Pharmacology – January 17, 2018
Summary
The quality of a psychedelic experience profoundly impacts long-term mental health. A clinical trial with 20 patients found that receiving psilocybin, an alkaloid hallucinogen, for treatment-resistant depression yielded significant results. Specifically, mystical-type experiences during a 25mg psilocybin session predicted reduced depression symptoms five weeks later. This pharmacology insight, reflecting psilocybin's neurotransmitter receptor influence, suggests optimizing the acute experience is crucial for effective medicine in drug studies.
Abstract
Introduction: It is a basic principle of the "psychedelic" treatment model that the quality of the acute experience mediates long-term improvements...
Effects of Ayahuasca on Gratitude and Relationships with Nature: A Prospective, Naturalistic Study.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2025
Summary
People who experience awe and mystical states during ayahuasca ceremonies show lasting increases in gratitude and connection to nature. This traditional psychedelic brew was found to enhance participants' appreciation for life and the natural world, with benefits persisting for at least a month. The quality of the experience, rather than number of ceremonies, proved most important in fostering these positive personality changes.
Abstract
Qualitative studies and anecdotal reports suggest that experiences with ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew found in Central and South America, may be fo...
Psychedelic experiences and long-term spiritual growth: a systematic review
Current Psychology – July 12, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics, including psilocybin, significantly foster long-term spiritual growth, a systematic Psychology review of 34 studies involving 19,724 participants reveals. These substances, often associated with profound religious experience and Mysticism, enhance feelings of unity and Transcendence, deepen spiritual Faith, and boost Social connectedness. Individuals report stronger divine connections, increased meaning, and greater engagement in Spirituality. This suggests a powerful link between certain Chemical synthesis and alkaloids and an individual's Religiosity and overall well-being, influencing their religious orientation.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelic substances, which can occasion mystical experiences, are sometimes used for religious and spiritual reasons. Despite strong li...
ENTHEOGENS, MYSTICISM, AND NEUROSCIENCE
Zygon® – August 26, 2014
Summary
Psilocybin reliably occasions profound mystical experiences, opening new avenues in psychology to explore the brain's altered state during such phenomena. This allows for critical drug studies into the neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Experts in philosophy and sociology are now grappling with the epistemological presuppositions underlying these psychedelic experiences. The work raises questions about whether drug-induced mysticism aligns with traditional spiritual or even paranormal experiences, moving beyond psychoanalysis to understand these profound shifts in consciousness.
Abstract
Entheogens or psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin are associated with mystical states of experience. Drug law...
Validation of the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin
Journal of Psychopharmacology – October 06, 2015
Summary
Psilocybin, a synthesized alkaloid and potent hallucinogen, induces mystical experiences predicting enduring positive changes. Psychology and clinical psychology validated the MEQ30 across five experiments (184 participants, at least 20 mg/70 kg psilocybin). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed reliability; structural equation modeling showed MEQ30 scores predict lasting attitude/behavior shifts. This advances Psychedelics and Drug Studies, informing broader drug research, including Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
Abstract
The 30-item revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30) was previously developed within an online survey of mystical-type experiences occasio...
The revival of the psychedelic experience scale: Revealing its extended-mystical, visual, and distressing experiential spectrum with LSD and psilocybin studies
Journal of Psychopharmacology – October 31, 2023
Summary
A new psychometric tool significantly advances understanding of psychedelic experiences. Analyzing 239 measurements from 140 healthy participants given psilocybin or LSD, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed four novel dimensions beyond mysticism: paradoxicality, connectedness, visual, and distressing experiences. This expanded framework, now a 6-factor MEQ40, offers a more comprehensive assessment for psychology and clinical applications. It enhances psychometrics in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, moving beyond initial focus on mystical states to cover the full spectrum of altered consciousness, aiding future Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies.
Abstract
Background: Research with the Psychedelic Experience Questionnaire/Scale (PES) focuses on questions relating to mystical experience (Mystical Exper...
The Role of Perennialist Thought in the Development of Psychedelic Research in the United States
CORE – May 04, 2022
Summary
Modern psychedelic therapy's focus on "mystical" experiences for healing isn't a recent development; it's deeply rooted in a specific spiritual philosophy. An analysis of research history reveals that from the 1960s onward, the drive to induce these profound states for therapeutic benefit is tied to perennialist thought, championed by figures like William James. This influence shaped early psychological studies and continues to guide current therapeutic approaches, effectively blurring the traditional divide between science and religion.
Abstract
From the 1960s to the present day, American research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs has focused on their ability to facilitate “...
Mystical and Other Alterations in Sense of Self: An Expanded Framework for Studying Nonordinary Experiences
Perspectives on Psychological Science – February 13, 2020
Summary
Mystical experiences, often considered unique in Psychology and Religion, are likely a form of "ego dissolution." This challenges the operationalization of "mysticism" as a distinct construct, typically measured by two widely used scales. Evidence from Psychedelics and Drug Studies and Meditation suggests these profound alterations of the Self are not sui generis. A new conceptualization is vital for the Psychology of self, moving beyond metaphysical assumptions. This epistemological shift will illuminate diverse spiritual and paranormal experiences, fostering understanding across disciplines.
Abstract
Although many researchers in psychology, religious studies, and psychiatry recognize that there is overlap in the experiences their subjects recoun...
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Psilocybin for the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Online Publication Service of Würzburg University (Würzburg University) – January 01, 2026
Summary
Psilocybin shows promising potential as a treatment for severe, treatment-resistant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), with symptom reductions ranging from 23% to complete remission in participants. In a randomized controlled trial involving multiple doses, improvements persisted for weeks to months post-treatment, particularly with higher doses linked to more profound mystical experiences. Notably, no severe side effects were reported. This highlights psilocybin's ability to address chronic OCD, offering hope for those unresponsive to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants.
Abstract
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 2-3%, characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsess...
Mystical and Affective Aspects of Psychedelic Use in a Naturalistic Setting: A Linguistic Analysis of Online Experience Reports
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – November 03, 2023
Summary
Mystical experiences frequently coexist with challenging elements during psychedelic journeys, according to an analysis of 7,317 online accounts. Using a specific *set* of mystical language indicators, insights from cognitive psychology revealed that as self-reported experience intensity grew, so did mystical language. However, negative sentiment also increased, while positive sentiment decreased. This complex psychology of religious experience, crucial for psychedelics and drug studies, suggests subjective reports offer a unique "sensing" technique, complementing biochemical analysis by illuminating profound, non-ordinary states.
Abstract
Analyzing online retrospective experience reports of psychedelic use can provide valuable insight into their acute subjective effects. Such reports...
Moderating factors in psilocybin-assisted treatment affecting mood and personality: A naturalistic, open-label investigation
Psychopharmacology – January 07, 2025
Summary
A single high dose of psilocybin, combined with therapy, significantly improved mental health, lowering anxiety, depression, PTSD, and neuroticism for three months. This advance in clinical psychology and psychiatry showcases psilocybin's potential. Participants reported mystical experiences and emotional breakthroughs, which, alongside demographic factors, showed moderation effects on mood and personality changes. This suggests how psychedelics, like synthesized alkaloids, influence neurotransmitter receptors, offering new avenues for psychology and mental health, potentially easing irritability.
Abstract
Abstract Rationale Psychedelic-assisted therapy is increasingly applied within mental health treatment. Objectives This study focused on factors mo...
Developing a short form of the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-SF) in psychedelic samples.
PloS one – January 01, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
This study aimed to develop and validate a short-form version of the AWE-S (AWE-SF) within psychedelic samples, to reduce participant burden while ...
The Meaning-Enhancing Properties of Psychedelics and Their Mediator Role in Psychedelic Therapy, Spirituality, and Creativity
Frontiers in Neuroscience – March 06, 2018
Summary
Psychedelics profoundly amplify the perception of existential meaning, a compelling finding explaining their therapeutic potential. Past studies, for instance, show 70% of participants experience enhanced creativity and mystical spirituality. This heightened suggestibility, rooted in cognitive psychology, offers a framework for psychotherapists. Understanding these agents, often complex alkaloids from chemical synthesis, through biochemical analysis, illuminates their impact on human perception. This has vast implications for social psychology, impacting how we understand meaning's epistemology.
Abstract
Past research has demonstrated to the ability of psychedelics to enhance suggestibility, and pointed to their ability to amplify perception of mean...
Virtual Reality as a Moderator of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
Frontiers in Psychology – March 04, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics, like the natural compound psilocybin, show profound promise in psychology for treating anxiety and influencing consciousness. These hallucinogens require careful psychotherapist guidance and a supportive mindset. Virtual reality (VR) could significantly enhance this, aiding relaxation, promoting mindfulness, and complementing practices like meditation. While VR’s potential to deepen these experiences is compelling, its synergy with psychedelics demands rigorous evaluation in drug studies to understand its full impact on behavior.
Abstract
Psychotherapy with the use of psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymetha...
Psychedelic use and psychological flexibility: The role of meaningful intention and decentering
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – August 16, 2024
Summary
Meaningful intention and decentering during psychedelic experiences significantly enhance psychological flexibility, a crucial aspect of mental well-being. Data from 114 individuals using classic psychedelics reveal how conscious preparation fosters adaptability, akin to robust **flexibility (engineering)** in mental systems. This **psychology** research offers insights for **psychotherapists**, emphasizing self-awareness and insight, concepts explored in **psychoanalysis**. **Psychedelics and drug studies** demonstrate these substances, by influencing **neurotransmitter receptors**, profoundly reshape behavior. Such findings integrate **social psychology** perspectives on user communities, highlighting the complex interplay of mind and substance.
Abstract
Abstract Background Psychedelic use and its impact on well-being is garnering a lot of research attention, however, little has been done to underst...
Relaxed Beliefs After Psychedelics: From Sensory Processing to Mystical States
CORE – December 01, 2024
Summary
Remarkably, psychedelics appear to reconfigure brain networks, leading to lasting shifts in perception. Research explored how these substances alter sensory processing, hypothesizing they weaken top-down control, boosting bottom-up input. Using human EEG and mouse studies, findings revealed 5-HT2A psychedelics indeed shift this balance, impacting how we perceive and leading to profound belief changes. These positive results contribute to their therapeutic effects. Distinct brain network changes were observed with 5-MeO-DMT. This framework also illuminates mystical experiences, emphasizing the post-acute environment's role in consolidating these beneficial shifts.
Abstract
This dissertation explores the lasting impact of psychedelic use on brain networks, ranging from basic sensory processing to abstract mystical expe...
The Mechanisms of Psychedelic Visionary Experiences: Hypotheses from Evolutionary Psychology
Frontiers in Neuroscience – September 28, 2017
Summary
Psychedelics reliably induce profound mystical experiences, deeply influencing human culture and **cognition**. **Neuroscience** reveals a common **mechanism** for these altered states of **consciousness**, also observed in **meditation** and **hypnosis**. This **cognitive psychology** posits that **psychedelics** disrupt the brain's normal regulatory processes, specifically the prefrontal cortex and **Default Mode Network**. This interruption allows innate visual and **cognitive** functions from lower brain systems to emerge, offering a unified **cognitive science** model for diverse visionary experiences in **psychology**.
Abstract
Neuropharmacological effects of psychedelics have profound cognitive, emotional, and social effects that inspired the development of cultures and r...
Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy and Attachment: Observed Reduction in Attachment Anxiety and Influences of Attachment Insecurity on the Psilocybin Experience
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science – December 09, 2020
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, can significantly reduce attachment anxiety, a known psychopathology risk factor. In Clinical psychology, a study with 18 long-term AIDS survivors found a single psilocybin session decreased self-reported attachment anxiety over three months (effect size d=0.45). This work, relevant to Psychiatry and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, reveals baseline attachment anxiety (r=0.53) and avoidance (r=0.62) influence session experiences. Psychotherapists can leverage these insights from Psychology and Attachment theory to optimize psychopathology treatments.
Abstract
Attachment insecurity is determined early in life, is a risk factor for psychopathology, and can be measured on two separate continuous dimensions:...
The Phenomenology and Potential Religious Import of States of Consciousness Facilitated by Psilocybin
Archive for the Psychology of Religion – January 01, 2008
Summary
Human psilocybin research is revealing a profound spectrum of altered states of consciousness, encompassing both non-mystical and deeply mystical experiences. This work explores the phenomenology of these unique religious experiences, aiming to understand the biochemistry of revelation and their potential for psychological treatment. Facilitating such states recognizes spiritual reality, offering new insights into Epistemology. As a powerful psychedelic alkaloid, psilocybin's impact on consciousness extends beyond traditional psychoanalysis, highlighting its promise in drug studies for mental health.
Abstract
Accompanying the resumption of human research with the entheogen (psychedelic drug), psilocybin, the range of states of consciousness reported duri...
Modulatory effects of ayahuasca on personality structure in a traditional framework
Psychopharmacology – July 23, 2020
Summary
Ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogen, significantly reduced neuroticism in 24 participants, with effects lasting six months. This finding in clinical psychology supports the growing field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies, suggesting its unique chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence behavior via neurotransmitter receptors. Participants also showed increased agreeableness and, at six months, greater openness to experience, a key personality trait. These positive shifts in personality, similar to those seen with psilocybin, indicate Ayahuasca's potential therapeutic role in psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Abstract Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It originate...
Phase 1, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and effect on altered states of consciousness of intranasal BPL-003 (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine benzoate) in healthy participants.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – August 01, 2024
Summary
A groundbreaking nasal spray formulation of the psychedelic compound 5-MeO-DMT shows promise for future therapeutic applications. The treatment proved safe and well-tolerated, with rapid onset (8-10 minutes) and brief duration. 60% of participants reported complete mystical experiences at higher doses, while maintaining an excellent safety profile. The drug's efficient pharmacokinetics and strong pharmacodynamics suggest potential for treating depression.
Abstract
To investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of BPL-003, a novel intranasal benzoate salt formulation o...
Body mass index (BMI) does not predict responses to psilocybin
Journal of Psychopharmacology – November 14, 2022
Summary
A significant finding in clinical psychology reveals that a person's Body Mass Index (BMI) does not predict the intensity of their psilocybin experience or subsequent psychological well-being improvements. This is crucial for medicine and internal medicine, as it supports standardized dosing. Data from three studies, using a fixed 25 mg dose of this naturally occurring alkaloid, show that BMI doesn't influence overall altered states or emotional breakthroughs. While psilocybin influences behavior via neurotransmitter receptors, this research suggests that for psychedelic-assisted therapy, a fixed dose is effective across varying BMIs, simplifying drug studies and treatment context.
Abstract
Background: Psilocybin is a serotonin type 2A (5-HT 2A ) receptor agonist and naturally occurring psychedelic. 5-HT 2A receptor density is known to...
Unique Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Psilocybin Therapy Versus Escitalopram Treatment in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction – March 07, 2024
Summary
A compelling finding in clinical psychology reveals that Psilocybin Therapy's unique antidepressant effects for Major depressive disorder are strongly linked to acute psychological experiences. In a phase 2 trial over a 6-week period, compared to Escitalopram, profound "mystical experience" and "ego dissolution" uniquely mediate Psilocybin's positive impact. This work, part of ongoing Psychedelics and Drug Studies in psychiatry, suggests that these intense subjective states, perhaps guided by a psychotherapist, are crucial. Higher reported levels of such experiences correlate with greater improvement, offering insights into novel antidepressant approaches.
Abstract
Abstract The mechanisms by which Psilocybin Therapy (PT) improves depression remain an important object of study, with scientists actively explorin...
Psilocybin and Other Classic Psychedelics in Depression.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – January 01, 2024
Summary
Classic psychedelics like psilocybin and DMT show remarkable potential in treating depression through unique brain mechanisms. Unlike traditional antidepressants, these compounds work by increasing neural connectivity and brain entropy, helping break negative thought patterns. When combined with therapy, a single treatment can provide months of relief by targeting serotonin receptors and promoting cognitive flexibility.
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and ketamine are returning to clinical research and intervention across several disorders including the treatm...
Psychedelic Experiences and Mindfulness are Associated with Improved Wellbeing
OpenAlex – March 05, 2021
Summary
Personal mindfulness meditation practices and recreational psychedelic use are strongly linked to improved psychological wellbeing. A study of 1219 individuals engaging in both revealed that both mindfulness and mystical experiences substantially predict increased wellbeing. Importantly, psychedelics act as a key moderation factor, amplifying how mystical experiences contribute to wellbeing. This pioneering work in clinical and social psychology offers crucial insights into the naturalistic benefits of these practices, moving beyond traditional psychotherapist approaches and informing future drug studies and natural compound pharmacology.
Abstract
Both psychedelics and mindfulness are a recently emerging topic of interest in academia and popular culture alike. Personal meditation practices an...
Narratives of the mystical among users of psychedelics
Acta Sociologica – January 11, 2021
Summary
Profound mystical experiences, often involving psilocybin, exhibit universal psychological patterns but culturally specific narratives. Interviews with 50 psychedelic users reveal a perception of transcendence—beyond time and space—alongside deep euphoria and oneness. While rooted in traditional mysticism, these experiences also reflect contemporary political and aesthetic concerns, like environmental protection. This social psychology highlights how individual narratives, analyzed through a cross-cultural lens, are shaped by both archetypal human psychology and evolving societal contexts within psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
We are now witnessing a radical revival in clinical research on the use of psychedelics (e.g. LSD and psilocybin), where ‘mystical’ experiences are...
Psychedelics and neonihilism: connectedness in a meaningless world
Frontiers in Psychology – August 09, 2023
Summary
A compelling finding suggests psychedelics, often derived from complex alkaloids, can address a modern "meaning and alienation crisis" driving rising anxiety and depression. This crisis, termed neonihilism, highlights a profound lack of social connectedness. Integrating insights from Psychology and Social psychology, a novel approach combines these substances with group therapy. This aims to foster enhanced social connectedness and cognitive shifts, moving beyond mystical experiences. This strategy offers a structured path toward alleviating meaninglessness and improving mental well-being, leveraging the unique properties of these compounds.
Abstract
The resurgence of psychedelic research explicitly targets treating mental health conditions largely through psychedelics-assisted psychotherapy. Cu...
Predicting and exploring ayahuasca effects: Perception, mind-wandering, and EEG oscillations
Journal of Psychopharmacology – December 04, 2025
Summary
Ayahuasca significantly alters consciousness, leading to profound mystical and emotional experiences. In a study with 60 participants, brain mapping using electroencephalography revealed that acute theta rhythm was inversely related to the intensity of mystical experiences. Interestingly, baseline theta and beta rhythms predicted interoception and emotional responses, suggesting a complex interplay between brain activity and psychological states. These findings enhance our understanding of how psychedelics influence cognitive psychology and the neuroscience of consciousness, shedding light on the connection between interoception and emotionality.
Abstract
Ayahuasca induced consciousness alterations, visual, bodily, emotional, and mystical experiences, chaotic and meaningful mind-wandering, and decrea...
A narrative synthesis of research with 5-MeO-DMT.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – March 01, 2022
Summary
A powerful classic psychedelic, 5-methoxy-n, n-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), is gaining attention for its profound effects. This short-acting hallucinogen, a tryptamine, consistently induces deep mystical experiences and shows promise for long-term mental well-being. A comprehensive review of existing literature, including animal models and epidemiological data, highlights 5-MeO-DMT's unique ability to rapidly facilitate ego-dissolution. These findings suggest significant therapeutic potential for this intriguing compound.
Abstract
5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a naturally occurring, short-acting psychedelic tryptamine, produced by a variety of plant and anim...
Phenomenology and content of the inhaled N, N-dimethyltryptamine (N, N-DMT) experience.
Scientific reports – May 24, 2022
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Understanding the phenomenology and content of the inhaled N, N, dimethyltryptamine (N, N-DMT) experience is critical to facilitate and support ong...
Cognitive and subjective acute dose effects of intramuscular ketamine in healthy adults.
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology – November 01, 2006
Summary
Ketamine's effect on memory is remarkably precise. A study investigated how varying intramuscular ketamine doses impacted healthy adults' cognitive functions and subjective experiences. Using a placebo-controlled design, volunteers received doses, with memory, attention, and motor skills assessed for five hours. Results revealed ketamine selectively impaired memory encoding and working memory speed, yet *spared retrieval, attention, and accuracy*. Crucially, participants reported *no hallucinations or mystical experiences*. Subjective effects were more sensitive and prolonged than cognitive impairments. This demonstrates ketamine's selective, temporary effects, enhancing our grasp of drug influence on cognition.
Abstract
Ketamine is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist. Given the purported role of the NMDA receptor in long-term potentiation, the p...
Increases in Aesthetic Experience Following Ayahuasca Use: A Prospective, Naturalistic Study
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – February 27, 2024
Summary
Participants in an ayahuasca retreat (N = 54) reported significant increases in aesthetic experience one week and one month post-retreat, compared to baseline. Specifically, 70% noted enhanced appreciation for art and beauty. Interestingly, factors like mystical experiences and ego dissolution did not predict these aesthetic changes. This suggests that ayahuasca may uniquely influence how individuals perceive and express aesthetics, aligning with anecdotal evidence of psychedelics enhancing artistic appreciation. These findings highlight the potential of psychedelics in transforming psychological perspectives on aesthetics.
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs are currently being investigated for their potential to facilitate a variety of long-lasting psychological changes. One area that...
Psychedelic Therapy, Positive Emotional Experiences, and the Central Role of Self-Compassion
OpenAlex – August 22, 2025
Summary
**Self-compassion emerges as a powerful driver of mental health improvements within psychedelic therapy.** Research in **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** reveals that individuals receiving 25mg psilocybin reported significantly greater positive emotional experiences, including **self-compassion** and **compassion** toward others, compared to those receiving 1mg. This finding, crucial for **Clinical Psychology**, indicates that specific positive emotions, particularly **self-compassion**, predict better mental health outcomes. **Psychotherapists** integrating **psychedelics** can leverage these insights from **Psychology** to optimize therapeutic approaches, focusing on cultivating such profound emotional states.
Abstract
Abstract Background: Psychedelics can acutely induce mystical experiences and elevated positive mood, which may contribute to the potential benefit...
Reactivations after 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine use in naturalistic settings: An initial exploratory analysis of the phenomenon’s predictors and its emotional valence
Frontiers in Psychiatry – November 29, 2022
Summary
A compelling finding in Psychedelics and Drug Studies reveals that "reactivations"—a phenomenon akin to flashbacks from 5-MeO-DMT—are often positive. Using descriptive statistics and logistic regression on data from 513 individuals, a key aspect of Clinical psychology emerges: being female, older, having higher education, and dosing in a structured group predicted reactivations. Importantly, higher mystical experiences predicted a neutral or positive emotional valence. This challenges typical negative associations, offering insights for medicine, Developmental psychology, and understanding Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior and Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis.
Abstract
Background The psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT has shown clinical potential due to its short duration and ability to induce mystical experiences. However, a ...
Songs of Life: Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy and Deleuze and Guattari’s ‘Desiring-Production’
Deleuze and Guattari Studies – October 27, 2023
Summary
Psychedelic therapy, especially with psilocybin, often restricts the unconscious mind's vast potential by overemphasizing mystical experience as the singular therapeutic goal, a trend prevalent over the past fifteen years. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari's critique of psychoanalysis, a new approach for psychotherapists emerges. Instead of reducing psychic visions to a quantifiable ideal, therapy should embrace a "desiring-machine" model. This perspective, integrating diverse academic research themes in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, fosters a unique, less constrained exploration of individual processes, moving beyond predetermined aesthetic or spiritual outcomes.
Abstract
This paper argues that practitioners of psychedelic-assisted therapy could learn a great deal from Deleuze and Guattari’s critique of psychoanalysi...
Comparison of psychedelic and near-death or other non-ordinary experiences in changing attitudes about death and dying
PLoS ONE – August 24, 2022
Summary
Psychedelic experiences, involving psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), generate *more profound* mystical subjective features than non-drug encounters, yet both significantly reduce death fear. A survey of 3192 individuals across psychology and medicine found non-drug experiences (933 participants) were often life's most meaningful. Hallucinogen-occasioned events (2259 participants) reported greater mystical depth, offering unique insights for clinical psychology and psychiatry. Both types profoundly shift perspectives on death, underscoring their relevance for spiritual practices and drug studies.
Abstract
Both psychedelic drug experiences and near-death experiences can occasion changes in perspectives on death and dying, but there have been few direc...
Trip Reports
OpenAlex – October 27, 2022
Summary
Psychedelic intoxication follows observable patterns, challenging notions that such experiences are purely mystic. Analyzing approximately 100 online "trip reports," with a deep dive into nine, reveals how users structure their experiences. They combine external context—like expectations and surroundings—with internal psychological reactions. This approach to Psychedelics and Drug Studies, using firsthand accounts, suggests intoxication is a structured experience. These insights could refine harm reduction strategies and further explore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, moving beyond purely religious interpretations.
Abstract
Background: Experiences of intoxication elude scientific research because of their immediate and 'inner' nature for the intoxicated individual. In ...
Entheogens: True or False?
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies – January 01, 2003
Summary
Genuine mystical experiences, long debated in Religious Studies and explored in Art and Literature, *can* be genuinely induced by psychedelics. Challenging historical skepticism, a new theory of consciousness proposes that a hallucinogen, like Ayahuasca, can lead to profound states of trance or religious experience. This perspective from Psychology and Philosophy, relevant to Psychedelics and Drug Studies, suggests such experiences, whether from spiritualism, Shamanism, or even psychoanalysis, share core features despite varied biochemical influences on behavior. This supports faith traditions like Hinduism, affirming psychedelics' role in altered consciousness.
Abstract
Despite 40 years of dialogue, debate still continues over whether psychedelics are capable of inducing genuine mystical experiences. This paper fir...
A Phase 1, Dose-Ranging Study to Assess Safety and Psychoactive Effects of a Vaporized 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine Formulation (GH001) in Healthy Volunteers
European Psychiatry – June 01, 2022
Summary
A novel vaporized formulation of 5-MeO-DMT, tested on 22 healthy volunteers, demonstrated dose-related increases in psychedelic experiences without significant adverse effects. Participants reported heightened intensity on various scales, particularly after doses of 6, 12, and 18 mg. While cognitive functioning, mood, and well-being remained stable, individualized dose escalation led to the strongest psychoactive responses. Notably, vital signs were unaffected, and mild adverse effects like nausea resolved quickly. This approach may enhance therapeutic outcomes in treating depression with psychedelics.
Abstract
Introduction 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a tryptamine with ultra-rapid onset and short duration of psychedelic effects. Prospec...
A Phase 1, Dose-Ranging Study to Assess Safety and Psychoactive Effects of a Vaporized 5-Methoxy-N, N-Dimethyltryptamine Formulation (GH001) in Healthy Volunteers.
Frontiers in pharmacology – January 01, 2021
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a tryptamine with ultra-rapid onset and short duration of psychedelic effects. Prospective studies ...
DataSheet1_A Phase 1, Dose-Ranging Study to Assess Safety and Psychoactive Effects of a Vaporized 5-Methoxy-N, N-Dimethyltryptamine Formulation (GH001) in Healthy Volunteers.docx
Figshare – November 25, 2021
Summary
Higher doses of 5-MeO-DMT, a tryptamine, significantly enhanced the intensity of psychedelic experiences in healthy volunteers, with notable effects observed at 6 mg (N=6), 12 mg (N=4), and 18 mg (N=4) compared to the lowest 2 mg dose (N=4). Evaluations using various questionnaires indicated that individualized dose escalation (N=4) maximized these experiences. Importantly, mood, cognition, and well-being remained unaffected, and adverse effects were mild, such as nausea. Vital signs showed no significant changes, suggesting good tolerability for this novel psychedelic formulation.
Abstract
<p>5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a tryptamine with ultra-rapid onset and short duration of psychedelic effects. Prospective...
The Effects of Ayahuasca on Psychological Disorders: A Systematic Literature Review.
Cureus – March 01, 2024
Summary
Ancient Amazonian ayahuasca ceremonies show promising results in treating various mental health conditions. When administered in traditional ritual settings, this plant medicine helps people process childhood trauma and PTSD while reducing depression, anxiety, and substance abuse issues. Participants report profound mystical experiences that catalyze positive personality changes, leading to sustained improvements in mood and emotional wellbeing.
Abstract
Ayahuasca is an original Amazonian brew made from the vines and leaves of Psychotroa viridis and Banisteriopsis caapi. Both P. viridis and B. caapi...
Increases in aesthetic experience following ayahuasca use: An open-label, naturalistic study
OpenAlex – May 15, 2023
Summary
People report richer aesthetic experiences after Ayahuasca. A cohort of 54 individuals attending a retreat showed increased aesthetic perception one week and one month later compared to baseline. This finding, relevant to Psychology and Clinical psychology, suggests psychedelics can profoundly shift how we engage with beauty. While acute mystical experiences did not predict these lasting changes, it offers a new dimension for psychotherapists exploring perception and mysticism, expanding the scope of Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs are currently being investigated for their potential to facilitate a variety of long-lasting psychological changes. One area of p...
Perceived attachment history predicts psychedelic experiences: A naturalistic study
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – March 05, 2024
Summary
Perceived insecure attachment during development is strongly linked to more intense psychedelic experiences. An online Psychology survey of 185 individuals found that a history of insecure attachment correlated with profound mystical, challenging, and ego-dissolution experiences (r's = 0.19–0.32). While naturalism in drug studies provides insights into real-world psychedelic use, these subjective experiences did not typically alter the connection between a perceived insecure attachment history and current attachment insecurity. This highlights how early developmental psychology shapes our responses, even during powerful altered states.
Abstract
Abstract Background and aims Emerging research indicates that psychedelics may have therapeutic potential by fostering meaningful experiences that ...
Ayahuasca Self Consciousness and Mysticism
OpenAlex – November 24, 2022
Summary
Mystical experiences from ayahuasca rituals significantly enhance self-consciousness traits. In a study of 250 ayahuasca users, those reporting higher mystical experiences showed 30% more adaptive self-consciousness traits, while maladaptive traits decreased by 25%. Frequent ayahuasca use positively correlated with public self-awareness, and longer engagement in religious practices linked to increased insight. Notably, common dosages improved private and reflexive self-awareness but reduced social anxiety, with mystical experiences mediating these effects. Overall, ayahuasca's ceremonial use appears to foster beneficial changes in self-perception and consciousness.
Abstract
Recent studies have assessed that the mystical alterations in sense of self are the best candidates for improvements in self-consciousness and the ...
On the need for metaphysics in psychedelic therapy and research
Frontiers in Psychology – March 31, 2023
Summary
Psychedelic-assisted therapy could offer patients an extra benefit by integrating metaphysical discussions. A proposed "Metaphysics Matrix" schema and questionnaire (MMQ) would help evaluate and measure these profound experiences, bridging philosophical inquiry with practical psychology. While metaphysics, a branch of Philosophy alongside epistemology, relies on argument and complex analysis, it differs from mysticism. This approach suggests that providing optional, intelligible frameworks for understanding these experiences could enhance therapeutic outcomes, offering a novel tool for quantitative measurement in future psychedelic drug studies.
Abstract
The essential proposal of this text is that psychedelic-induced metaphysical experiences should be integrated and evaluated with recourse to metaph...
Impact of a Naturalistic Psychedelic Experience on Smoking: A Retrospective Survey.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2023
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Tobacco use disorder is a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a psychedelic experience in a natural...
Meditation and Self-transcendence: A Human Need?
Integrative psychological & behavioral science – September 01, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Building on Fircks (2023), who aims at integrating the theoretical and historical roots of mindfulness into psychology through a bridge between Tao...
Pharmacological and non-pharmacological predictors of the LSD experience in healthy participants.
Translational psychiatry – September 04, 2024
Summary
Personality traits and mindset before taking LSD significantly shape the psychedelic experience, alongside dosage. Research with 213 healthy participants found that while dose was the strongest predictor of effects, pre-existing mood and openness to new experiences strongly influenced outcomes. People with prior psychedelic experience reported less anxiety, and genetic factors affected anxiety levels during sessions.
Abstract
The pharmacodynamic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are diverse and different in different individuals. Effects of other psychoactive s...
Survey of subjective "God encounter experiences": Comparisons among naturally occurring experiences and those occasioned by the classic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, or DMT
PLoS ONE – April 23, 2019
Summary
More than two-thirds of atheists reported no longer identifying as such after a God encounter experience. A survey of over 4300 individuals, including those using psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ayahuasca, and other hallucinogens, explored these profound events. While non-drug encounters favored "God" and psychedelic groups preferred "Ultimate Reality," striking similarities emerged. Participants reported vivid memories and attributed lasting positive changes to these experiences, often fulfilling criteria for complete mystical experiences in half of cases. This work in Psychology and Religious Studies highlights the impact of psychedelics on spiritual beliefs.
Abstract
Naturally occurring and psychedelic drug-occasioned experiences interpreted as personal encounters with God are well described but have not been sy...
Alterations in brain network connectivity and subjective experience induced by psychedelics: a scoping review
Frontiers in Psychiatry – May 14, 2024
Summary
Profound subjective experiences from psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD are directly linked to specific changes in brain functional connectivity. A neuroscience review of 24 articles, selected from 492 in drug studies, reveals these substances profoundly alter consciousness and elevate mood. Psychology highlights decreased connectivity in brain networks involved in self-referential thought, alongside increased sensory processing. Such neurophysiological shifts offer a potential neural mechanism for reported mystical experiences, informing medicine's exploration of these compounds' therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Intense interest surrounds current research on psychedelics, particularly regarding their potential in treating mental health disorders. Various st...
The therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators is associated with acute effects and clinical outcomes in a psilocybin-assisted therapy trial for major depressive disorder
PLoS ONE – March 14, 2024
Summary
A strong therapeutic alliance dramatically improves outcomes for major depressive disorder. In a randomized controlled trial of 24 adults, the bond with a psychotherapist strengthened moderately (an effect size of .43) after psilocybin sessions. A stronger initial alliance strongly predicted lower depression scores at 4 weeks (correlation -.65) and significantly at 12 months (correlation -.54). This clinical psychology intervention, a form of psychedelic medicine, highlights how the human element, even against a placebo, drives profound and lasting relief in psychiatry, proving vital for effective psychotherapy.
Abstract
We examined if the therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators in a psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) trial chang...
Interview with Guillermo Arrévalo, a Shipibo Urban Shaman, by Roger Rumrrill
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – June 01, 2005
Summary
A significant concern arises from the growing trend of drug tourism in Peru, where urban shamans charge foreigners for ayahuasca experiences. Guillermo Arrévalo, a Shipibo shaman, highlights that many tourists seek mystical encounters to address personal crises, reflecting deeper spiritual and psychological issues in Western societies. He warns of the dangers posed by inexperienced shamans who may misuse toxic plants in rituals, potentially harming tourists and undermining authentic shamanic practices. This exploitation raises questions about the integrity of traditional healing in Latin American urban settings.
Abstract
Roger Rumrrill, a journalist headquartered in Lima, Peru who is a noted expert on the Peruvian Amazon, interviewed Guillermo Arrévalo, a Shipibo ur...
Ibogaine and Subjective Experience: Transformative States and Psychopharmacotherapy in the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2019
Summary
Many people seeking help for opioid use disorder experience profound spiritual transformation during a unique oneiric psychedelic drug treatment. This approach explores how the powerful hallucinogen, ibogaine, impacts subjective experience. Researchers observed 44 participants, finding ibogaine often induced "complete mystical experiences" with vivid visions. These led to confronting past actions but also offered release from guilt and worthlessness, highlighting ibogaine's distinct healing capacity beyond mere withdrawal reduction from opioids.
Abstract
This article examines the therapeutic potential of ibogaine, a powerful oneiric alkaloid derived from Tabernanthe iboga, through exploring the subj...
Subjective features of the psilocybin experience that may account for its self-administration by humans: a double-blind comparison of psilocybin and dextromethorphan.
Psychopharmacology – August 01, 2020
Summary
Psilocybin induces a greater desire for repeat use in humans compared to Dextromethorphan, despite both being hallucinogens. A double-blind comparison found that while both produced psychedelic effects, higher psilocybin doses led to significantly more positive subjective experience, including enhanced mood, profound insight, and mystical experience. These reinforcing effects, like an insightful experience and increased appreciation for beauty, suggest psilocybin's unique profile contributes to its higher abuse liability, explaining observed differences in non-medical use.
Abstract
Although both psilocybin and dextromethorphan (DXM) produce psychedelic-like subjective effects, rates of non-medical use of psilocybin are consist...
Cultural Neurophenomenology of Psychedelic Thought
Oxford University Press eBooks – April 05, 2018
Summary
Psilocybin and other hallucinogens profoundly alter human cognition and perception, fostering creative insight and mystical experiences. Neuroscience and Cognitive psychology reveal how these psychedelics influence brain connectivity, impacting consciousness. This integrative perspective, drawing from Psychology and Cognitive science, highlights that seemingly spontaneous thought patterns reflect complex interactions. Sociocultural evolution and specific cultural context critically shape these unique states, moving beyond simple drug studies to understand their full impact on human experience.
Abstract
This chapter explores psychedelics as catalysts of spontaneous thought. Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca ca...
"This Is Something That Changed My Life": A Qualitative Study of Patients' Experiences in a Clinical Trial of Ketamine Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders.
Frontiers in psychiatry – January 01, 2021
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Background: The therapeutic benefits of ketamine have been demonstrated for a variety of psychiatric disorders. However, the role of ketamine induc...
Reduction of alcohol use and increase in psychological flexibility after a naturalistic psychedelic experience: a retrospective survey.
Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire) – January 17, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Alcohol use can be significantly associated with negative social, professional, and health outcomes. Even more so, alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a ...