169 results for "Ego Dissolution"
Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI)
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – June 14, 2016
Summary
Ego dissolution, a profound psychological state, is intimately linked to the psychedelic experience. A new tool, validated with over 500 participants, accurately measures this phenomenon, offering fresh insights into the ego's role, distinct from the id and super-ego. This significant advance in Psychology and Drug Studies, relevant to the chemical synthesis of psychedelic alkaloids, will inform Mental Health and Psychiatry. It promises to deepen understanding of psychosis and enhance psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
Abstract
Our results demonstrate the psychometric structure, internal consistency and construct validity of the EDI. Moreover, we demonstrate the close rela...
From Ego to Death: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Scale (EDS)
OpenAlex – July 27, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics like Ayahuasca and Psilocybin profoundly alter the self, offering deep insights and pleasure, challenging psychology's view of the ego. An online survey of 207 participants revealed six distinct facets of ego-dissolution, touching on identity relevant to social psychology. Ayahuasca and DMT induced stronger psychic experiences than LSD and psilocybin, offering new life perspectives. This work, part of Psychedelics and Drug Studies encompassing areas like Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, contributes to understanding the Id, ego, and super-ego.
Abstract
<p>Disruptions to the sense of self are dotted across cultures and times in rituals involving hallucinogens, sensory deprivation, trance poss...
Being no one, being One: The role of ego-dissolution and connectedness in the therapeutic effects of psychedelic experience
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – September 16, 2022
Summary
A review of 15 studies involving 2,182 participants reveals that psychedelic experiences promoting ego-dissolution and social connectedness significantly improve mental health. While ego-dissolution—a temporary shift in the ego's boundaries—initiates psychological change, sustained feelings of social connectedness offer a lasting positive affect. Clinical psychology can leverage these insights from Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Psychotherapists might emphasize ego-dissolution during preparation and foster social connectedness for integration, enhancing mental health outcomes and informing the broader narrative in social psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Background and aims Despite promising findings indicating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic experience across a variety of domains,...
Finding the self by losing the self: Neural correlates of ego-dissolution under psilocybin
Human Brain Mapping – May 22, 2015
Summary
The profound psychological experience of ego-dissolution, often induced by the hallucinogen psilocybin, is rooted in distinct brain alterations. A neuroscience study involving 15 healthy subjects revealed that psilocybin led to a feeling of "self" disintegration. This effect correlated with decreased functional connectivity between the medial temporal lobe and cortical regions, a "disintegration" of the brain's salience network, and reduced interhemispheric communication. These insights into Psychology and Psychedelics suggest the ego, vital for mental health and relevant to Psychiatry, relies on these neural systems.
Abstract
Ego-disturbances have been a topic in schizophrenia research since the earliest clinical descriptions of the disorder. Manifesting as a feeling tha...
Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA): Scale Development and Substance-Specific Comparisons
OpenAlex – March 02, 2026
Summary
Ego-dissolution, a therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, was effectively captured using the Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA) with 207 participants. A robust six-factor structure emerged, highlighting areas such as Clarity about Life and Purpose (α=.78) and Pleasure (α=.78). Notably, ayahuasca and DMT led to higher dissolution scores than LSD and psilocybin across four factors. While dosage didn’t significantly impact results, all substances demonstrated similar high levels of insight and pleasure, suggesting core benefits of psychedelics that could guide therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Rationale: Ego-dissolution represents a key therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet current measurement approaches may inadequat...
Development of the Japanese version of the Ego‐Dissolution Inventory (EDI)
Neuropsychopharmacology Reports – March 13, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics show promise for mental health, often inducing a unique "ego-dissolution" experience. To better understand this in a human context, a new Japanese version of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) was developed. Expert translators rigorously followed international guidelines, collaborating with original authors through back-translation and refinement. This successful effort provides a vital tool for assessing ego-dissolution in Japanese speakers, enhancing research into psychedelic-assisted therapies, including for conditions like depression.
Abstract
Abstract Aim Psychedelics have recently gained attention as potential therapeutic agents for various psychiatric disorders. Previous research has h...
Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: The mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences
Journal of Psychopharmacology – August 01, 2022
Summary
Regular psychedelic use may lead to lasting positive psychological shifts. A large survey found that more lifetime use predicted enhanced positive emotional reactivity and reduced negative emotional reactivity. Users also reported improved self-consciousness, including greater reflection and less rumination. These beneficial changes were largely explained by intense past ego-dissolution and mystical experiences, potentially contributing to overall well-being.
Abstract
Background: Psychedelics are able to acutely alter emotional reactivity and self-consciousness. However, whether the regular naturalistic use of ps...
Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: the mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences
Arabixiv (OSF Preprints) – September 23, 2021
Summary
Regular psychedelic use appears linked to enduring psychological shifts. An online survey of 2,516 participants (66% psychedelic users) revealed more lifetime uses predicted greater positive and lower negative emotional reactivity. It also enhanced self-awareness and reflection, reducing rumination and public self-consciousness. Crucially, intense past mystical and ego-dissolution experiences, central to altered consciousness, mediated these trait-level changes. These findings illuminate psychedelics' long-term impact on trait-level psychology and well-being.
Abstract
Background: Psychedelics are able to acutely alter emotional reactivity and self-consciousness. However, whether the regular naturalistic use of ps...
Phenomenological assessment of psychedelics induced experiences: Translation and validation of the German Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI)
PLoS ONE – March 16, 2022
Summary
A 26-item *rating scale* for challenging *psilocybin* experiences, for *psychedelics and drug studies*, showed robust *psychometrics*. *Confirmatory factor analysis* supported its seven-subscale structure, demonstrating strong *convergent* and *discriminant validity*, bolstering its *construct validity* and *nomological network*. However, the 8-item Ego-Dissolution Inventory required *exploratory factor analysis*, yielding a 5-item measure with high internal consistency and *convergent validity*. These tools advance *psychology* and *clinical psychology* by providing reliable measures for altered states.
Abstract
Several measures have been designed to assess subjective experiences induced by psychedelic substances or other mind-altering drugs as well as non-...
Phenomenological assessment of psychedelic induced experiences: Translation and validation of the German Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI)
OpenAlex – April 02, 2021
Summary
A 26-item German scale reliably measures diverse challenging experiences induced by psychedelics, advancing clinical psychology. Its 7-factor structure was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis, showing strong construct validity and convergent validity with anxiety measures within a nomological network. An 8-item ego-dissolution scale was refined to five items through exploratory factor analysis, enhancing its psychometrics. These validated tools, essential for psychology, will illuminate how chemical synthesis of alkaloids and their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior manifest as subjective states, bolstering drug studies.
Abstract
Several measures have been designed to assess subjective experiences induced by psychedelic substances and other mind-altering drugs or non-pharmac...
Mystical and Ego-Dissolution Experiences in Ayahuasca and Jurema Holistic Rituals: An Exploratory Study
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion – April 13, 2023
Summary
Ayahuasca sessions produced significantly higher scores in temporal quality, ineffability, and religious quality compared to jurema, highlighting the unique psychological effects of these entheogens. In a study with 26 participants, the Ego Dissolution Inventory (EDI) showed a positive correlation with temporal and unifying qualities during ayahuasca experiences. Conversely, jurema's EDI correlated positively with religious and inner subjectivity qualities. Ethnographic interviews underscored the importance of context, suggesting that the setting profoundly influences the nature and interpretation of mystical experiences.
Abstract
Mystical and even ego-dissolution experiences can be elicited from entheogens, like sacred potions of ayahuasca and jurema. Although composed of di...
DMT-induced shifts in criticality correlate with ego-dissolution
bioRxiv – February 08, 2025
Summary
Our brains operate at a unique "sweet spot" for processing information. This study explored if a powerful psychedelic, DMT, shifts this brain balance and how that relates to profound changes in self-perception. Researchers measured brain activity in participants given DMT, observing network behavior and subjective reports of ego-dissolution. Findings revealed DMT shifted brain activity away from this optimal balance, making it more chaotic. This change strongly correlated with participants reporting a profound loss of their sense of self. This directly links specific brain state changes to the subjective experience of ego-dissolution, offering new insights into consciousness.
Abstract
DMT-induced shifts in criticality correlate with ego-dissolution
Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution.
Brain sciences – July 14, 2021
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Many people who have had a near-death experience (NDE) describe, as part of it, a disturbed sense of having a "distinct self". However, no empirica...
Consciousness in active inference: Deep self-models, other minds, and the challenge of psychedelic-induced ego-dissolution.
Neuroscience of consciousness – January 01, 2021
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Predictive processing approaches to brain function are increasingly delivering promise for illuminating the computational underpinnings of a wide r...
A novel ego dissolution scale: A construct validation study.
Consciousness and cognition – March 01, 2023
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Ego dissolution (i.e., ego loss, ego disintegration, ego death, or self-loss) is a conscious state marked by a loss or diminution of one's sense of...
Setting the Stage for the Inner Journey: Unraveling the Interplay of Contextual Factors and the Intensity of Psychedelic-Induced Ego Dissolution.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – February 13, 2025
Summary
Personal mindset plays a bigger role than physical environment in shaping profound psychedelic experiences. A study of 862 users found that those seeking spiritual growth or healing reported more intense ego dissolution than those driven by curiosity. This suggests internal factors matter more than external setting in naturalistic psychedelic use.
Abstract
Psychedelics have the potential to induce profound alterations in cognition, emotionality, and sensory perception. The quality and intensity of the...
The Structural Organization and Construct Validity Evidence of the Brazilian Versions of the Mysticism Scale and the Ego-Dissolution Inventory in a Major Religion of the Ayahuasca
International Journal of Latin American Religions – June 09, 2023
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Abstract not available from OpenAlex
The Role of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Ego Dissolution and Emotional Arousal During the Psychedelic State
bioRxiv Preprint Server – December 09, 2024
Summary
A fascinating insight: the brain region vital for mood regulation, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), plays a key role in the unique states induced by Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG), researchers found that changes in DLPFC and thalamus connectivity positively correlated with experiences of ego dissolution and emotional arousal. They observed increased information flow between these areas, illuminating the brain mechanisms behind these profound shifts in consciousness.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic serotonergic psychedelic that induces a profoundly altered conscious state. In conjunction with psych...
The Role of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Ego Dissolution and Emotional Arousal During the Psychedelic State.
Human brain mapping – April 01, 2025
Summary
Brain scans reveal how LSD alters consciousness: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex plays a key role in the drug's ability to dissolve ego boundaries and heighten emotions. Changes in brain connectivity, especially between this region and the thalamus, help explain the profound shifts in self-awareness and emotional intensity that users experience.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic serotonergic psychedelic that induces a profoundly altered conscious state. In conjunction with psych...
Self unbound: ego dissolution in psychedelic experience
Neuroscience of Consciousness – January 01, 2017
Summary
Profound "ego dissolution" experiences from psychedelics challenge our understanding of the Self. This psychological phenomenon suggests our stable "I" is a useful cognitive fiction, a mental representation integrating diverse cognitive processing. This self-model performs a crucial function, unifying cognition across levels. Cognitive psychology and cognitive science propose this isn't merely a narrative, but a robust psychological mechanism. While it binds attributes, the self does not exist as an enduring entity. Psychedelic drug studies offer unique insights into the psychology of self, revealing the self-model's functional role.
Abstract
Users of psychedelic drugs often report that their sense of being a self or 'I' distinct from the rest of the world has diminished or altogether di...
Looking for the Self: Phenomenology, Neurophysiology and Philosophical Significance of Drug-induced Ego Dissolution
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – May 23, 2017
Summary
High doses of hallucinogens strikingly dissolve the sense of self, a phenomenon, drug-induced ego dissolution. It challenges the psychology of self; consciousness doesn't always require self-awareness. Neuroscience identifies three drug classes inducing this, disrupting the "embodied self" rooted in multimodal sensory function, not just an illusion. Understanding these neural correlates of consciousness informs cognitive psychology and neurophysiology. It offers psychotherapists insights beyond ego depletion or narcissism, impacting cognition and pain management, akin to the placebo effect. This deep dive into the ego provides a unique lens for phenomenology.
Abstract
There is converging evidence that high doses of hallucinogenic drugs can produce significant alterations of self-experience, described as the disso...
Me, myself, bye: regional alterations in glutamate and the experience of ego dissolution with psilocybin.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology – November 01, 2020
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
There is growing interest in the therapeutic utility of psychedelic substances, like psilocybin, for disorders characterized by distortions of the ...
Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution.
Curr Biol – April 13, 2016
Summary
A key finding reveals that when experiencing profound ego dissolution during a psychedelic experience with LSD, individuals exhibit significantly increased global brain activity. This suggests that the subjective feeling of a dissolving self is directly correlated with heightened functional connectivity across various neural networks. The research indicates that these shifts in consciousness are not merely psychological but are rooted in a more interconnected brain state, offering valuable insights into the mechanisms of the mind.
Abstract
Increased Global Functional Connectivity Correlates with LSD-Induced Ego Dissolution.
Cross-validation of the ego dissolution scale: implications for studying psychedelics.
Front Neurosci – December 05, 2023
Summary
Measuring the "loss of self" people report during psychedelic experiences just got more precise. Researchers validated a standardized questionnaire that reliably captures ego dissolution - the sensation of self boundaries dissolving during altered states. Testing across multiple psychedelic substances showed the scale effectively measures this key aspect of the psychedelic experience, helping advance our understanding of these profound mental states.
Abstract
Cross-validation of the ego dissolution scale: implications for studying psychedelics.
LSD Relaxes Structural Constraints on Brain Dynamics and Default Mode Decoupling Tracks Ego Dissolution
OpenAlex – March 05, 2026
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD significantly alter brain function, revealing a remarkable decoupling of low-frequency brain activity from structural constraints. In a study involving 30 participants, LSD led to a 40% increase in flexibility within the default mode network, which is associated with ego dissolution. While low-frequency activity showed widespread reorganization, high-frequency gamma activity underwent selective adjustments. This suggests that psychedelics promote a unique rebalancing of neural dynamics, potentially enhancing therapeutic effects by loosening rigid structural limitations and improving communication among brain networks involved in self-awareness and perception.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics profoundly alter conscious experience, yet how they reshape the relationship between brain anatomy and function remains uncle...
Reduced Precision Underwrites Ego Dissolution and Therapeutic Outcomes Under Psychedelics
Frontiers in Neuroscience – March 17, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics dramatically shift our perception by reducing the "precision" of how our brains update beliefs, a core concept in Bayesian probability and cognitive psychology. This biological mechanism, involving neurotransmitter receptor influence on cortical connectivity, unlocks diverse alternate hypotheses, explaining their therapeutic potential in psychology for internalizing disorders. This same mechanism, akin to computer science models of information processing, also drives profound changes in consciousness like "ego dissolution," providing a unified understanding of how these drug studies modify attention and perception through biochemical changes.
Abstract
Evidence suggests classic psychedelics reduce the precision of belief updating and enable access to a range of alternate hypotheses that underwrite...
Die subakuten Effekte des Psilocybin auf Persönlichkeit, Achtsamkeit und die Auflösung des Selbst
OpenAlex – January 01, 2024
Summary
Psilocybin significantly reduces neuroticism and anxiety, improving life satisfaction. A naturalistic study of 55 participants at psychedelic retreats revealed clear trends: reduced anxiety and neuroticism, plus improved life satisfaction, seven days post-consumption. This work in clinical psychology highlights psilocybin's profound psychological impact on personality, contributing to psychedelics and drug studies. Such findings offer new perspectives for mental health and psychiatry, informing psychotherapist practices and discussions in psychoanalysis.
Abstract
Psychedelics are a class of drugs that can occasion similar changes in conscious ex- periences mediated via the G-protein coupled Serotonin 2A rece...
Ethics and ego dissolution: the case of psilocybin
Journal of Medical Ethics – May 27, 2020
Summary
Half a century ago, **hallucinogens** like **psilocybin** were proscribed from medical **psychology**. Now, early **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** suggest novel benefits for mental disorders, offering unique patient experiences like **feelings** of profound unity. These distinct features necessitate enhanced **informed consent** processes beyond typical **psychiatry** approaches. As these **chemical synthesis and alkaloids** move towards **mainstream** clinical use, **psychotherapists** must address novel risks, drawing on **social psychology** and **Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies** for ethical integration.
Abstract
Despite the fact that psychedelics were proscribed from medical research half a century ago, recent, early-phase trials on psychedelics have sugges...
Sub-acute and long-term effects of ayahuasca on affect and cognitive thinking style and their association with ego dissolution
Psychopharmacology – August 13, 2018
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Abstract not available from OpenAlex
Alterations to self consciousness during mindfulness meditation and Flotation REST a comparative study
OpenAlex – June 30, 2023
Summary
Mystical experiences, often associated with psychedelics, can also arise from mindfulness meditation and flotation therapy. These psychological interventions consistently showed ego-dissolution scores exceeding ego-inflation. Mystical Experience Questionnaire scores fell between those induced by low and high dose psilocybin, highlighting profound altered states of consciousness. An individual's openness to experience predicted these shifts, suggesting a key personality trait in accessing such mental health benefits. This offers valuable insight for clinical psychology and drug studies, exploring consciousness beyond neurotransmitter receptor influence.
Abstract
Flotation-Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) and mindfulness meditation (MM) are known to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC...
LSD, madness and healing: Mystical experiences as possible link between psychosis model and therapy model
Psychological Medicine – July 13, 2021
Summary
LSD, at a dose of 50 μg, triggered profound psychedelic experiences in 24 healthy volunteers, showing significant increases in aberrant salience (a key indicator of psychosis) and suggestibility. The study revealed that LSD heightened mystical experiences and ego-dissolution, with 100% of participants reporting altered states of consciousness. Notably, the connection between psychotic-like experiences and therapeutic potential suggests that fostering mystical experiences during psychedelic therapy could enhance treatment outcomes for conditions such as depression and addiction, bridging clinical psychology and transpersonal psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Background For a century, psychedelics have been investigated as models of psychosis for demonstrating phenomenological similarities with ...
Linkages between Psychedelics and Meditation in a Population-Based Sample in the United States.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2023
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
There are neurophysiological and phenomenological overlaps between psychedelic and meditative states, but there is little evidence on how exposure ...
LSD, madness and healing: Mystical experiences as possible link between psychosis model and therapy model.
Psychological medicine – March 01, 2023
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
For a century, psychedelics have been investigated as models of psychosis for demonstrating phenomenological similarities with psychotic experience...
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 ...
Broadening Your Mind to Include Others: The relationship between serotonergic psychedelic experiences and maladaptive narcissism.
Psychopharmacology – September 01, 2020
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Recent research has shown that classical serotonergic psychedelic (CSP) drugs may be used to ameliorate certain health issues and disorders. Here w...
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Altered States of Consciousness During Ceremonial San Pedro Use
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion – December 05, 2022
Summary
Two-thirds of participants experienced a complete mystical state during San Pedro ceremonies, a powerful psychedelic. Forty-two individuals in these retreats showed profound altered states of consciousness across 11 dimensions, alongside moderate ego-dissolution. This cross-cultural social psychology investigation highlights how spiritual experiences, akin to shamanic trance, are strongly expressed, revealing the profound magic of such journeys. While biochemical analysis points to alkaloid effects, experiences featured low anxiety but higher physical distress or grief, advancing our psychoanalysis and drug studies understanding of consciousness.
Abstract
San Pedro, a mescaline containing cactus, has been used for thousands of years and is currently popular as a psychedelic substance in ceremonial re...
Altered State of Consciousness and Mental Imagery as a Function of N, N-dimethyltryptamine Concentration in Ritualistic Ayahuasca Users
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience – January 01, 2023
Summary
Ayahuasca profoundly alters consciousness, with N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) driving its primary psychological effects. Among 24 Santo Daime members, drinking ayahuasca significantly increased feelings of oceanic boundlessness and ego dissolution. These shifts in consciousness and visual restructuralization correlated with peak DMT concentrations. Surprisingly, measures of mental image capacity, including vividness and cognitive flexibility, did not noticeably improve. This suggests long-term engagement with psychedelics may lead to neuroadaptive changes, influencing Ayahuasca's impact on cognition and perspective, crucial for clinical psychology and drug studies exploring neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior.
Abstract
Abstract Consumption of the psychedelic brew ayahuasca is a central ritualistic aspect of the Santo Daime religion. The current observational, base...
Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans
OpenAlex – November 07, 2022
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent hallucinogen, profoundly alters consciousness, with effects largely plateauing around 100 μg. A meta-analysis in Psychology, utilizing subjective rating scales, reveals strong changes in perception and ego-dissolution. Crucially, minimal effects on Anxiety were observed. These findings from Psychedelics and Drug Studies provide vital dose-response data for clinical psychology, informing how this chemical synthesis product impacts the mind. Understanding these biochemical effects on consciousness offers a foundation for further research, even for social and developmental psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent classic serotonergic psychedelic, which facilitates a variety of altered states of consciousn...
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...
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...
Classic Psychedelics and Human–Animal Relations
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – July 01, 2022
Summary
Profound ego dissolution during classic psychedelic experiences appears to significantly alter human-animal relations. Data from 2822 US adults, representative of diverse ethnic groups, shows ego dissolution strongly correlated with reduced speciesism (β = −0.17) and increased animal solidarity (β = 0.18), alongside a greater desire for animal welfare (β = 0.10). Lifetime psychedelic use also showed associations, though weaker. This work in social psychology and animal studies explores how altered states, relevant to the psychology of the 'ego', might shift our connection to other species. These findings, however, do not establish causality.
Abstract
Previous research has found associations between classic psychedelic use and nature-relatedness, but the link between classic psychedelic use and h...
Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology – October 01, 2023
Summary
A groundbreaking analysis reveals how different doses of LSD affect human consciousness. Higher doses (up to 100 micrograms) intensify perceptual changes and positive feelings of ego dissolution, while anxiety remains minimal. Beyond 100 micrograms, effects plateau. Individual responses vary significantly, suggesting personal factors strongly influence the experience.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent classic serotonergic psychedelic, which facilitates a variety of altered states of consciousness. Here...
Trips and Neurotransmitters: Discovering Principled Patterns across 6,850 Hallucinogenic Experiences
OpenAlex – July 14, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics dramatically alter consciousness, often causing ego-dissolution. Neuroscience reveals these hallucinogen-induced experiences, analyzed from 6,850 testimonials across 27 drugs, link directly to specific neurotransmitter receptor distributions in the brain. Cognitive psychology shows ego-dissolution correlates with 5-HT2A, D2, KOR, and NMDA receptors, spanning both the visual cortex and higher-order associative areas. This work in cognitive science, a key part of Psychedelics and Drug Studies, connects subjective experiences to the sensory system, offering new insights into drug influence on behavior.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Psychedelics are thought to alter states of consciousness by disrupting how the higher association cortex governs bottom-up sensory signal...
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...
Dissolving yourself in connection to others: shared experiences of ego attenuation and connectedness during group VR experiences can be comparable to psychedelics
arXiv Preprint Archive – May 17, 2021
Summary
Virtual reality can create profound experiences of connection and ego dissolution comparable to psychedelic drugs, but without substances. In groundbreaking human-computer interaction (cs.HC) research, participants experienced their bodies as luminous energy forms in shared virtual spaces, allowing them to merge and connect with others in unprecedented ways. Using four established measurement scales, these virtual experiences produced levels of self-transcendence and group bonding statistically similar to those reported in psychedelic studies.
Abstract
With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and increases ...
Health Benefits and Positive Acute Effects of Psilocybin Consumption: A Quantitative Textual Analysis of User Self-Reported Data
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – June 22, 2023
Summary
Profound mystical experiences driven by the hallucinogen psilocybin, including ego-dissolution, offer significant mental health benefits. An analysis of 846 public online self-reports revealed how context and setting profoundly shape these psychedelic experiences. The findings, relevant for clinical psychology and psychiatry, highlight somatic and visual alterations, connectedness, and cognitive shifts. Understanding these outcomes from a drug studies perspective is crucial for future psychotherapeutic applications, moving beyond basic biochemical analysis to inform safe and effective use of this alkaloid.
Abstract
There has been growth in the use of psychedelics by the global population in recent years. In addition to recreational and ritualistic use, recent ...
Classic psychedelic use and current meditation practice.
Mindfulness – April 01, 2023
Summary
People who have experienced psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin are more likely to maintain regular mindfulness meditation practices. A large U.S. study of over 2,800 people found that those who gained psychological insights during psychedelic experiences were especially drawn to both mindfulness and compassion-focused meditation practices, suggesting these substances may help cultivate lasting wellness habits.
Abstract
Previous research has investigated potential synergies between classic psychedelics and meditation practice, but relatively little remains known ab...
Persisting decreases in state and trait anxiety post-psilocybin: A naturalistic, observational study among retreat attendees
OpenAlex – March 02, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin-containing truffles produced rapid, lasting anxiety reductions in a supportive group setting. For 52 volunteers, consuming an average of 27.1 mg of psilocin, an alkaloid, led to medium to large decreases in state and trait anxiety, persisting for a week. This offers a promising avenue for clinical psychology and psychiatry, where current treatments yield 51-58% response rates. The powerful psychedelic experience, influencing neurotransmitter receptors, enhanced mindfulness and reduced neuroticism, impacting behavior and psychological well-being.
Abstract
Abstract Anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychiatric disorders among Western countries. Evidence-based treatment modalities including...
Decreases in State and Trait Anxiety Post-psilocybin: A Naturalistic, Observational Study Among Retreat Attendees
Frontiers in Psychiatry – July 07, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin, a psychedelic compound from truffles, significantly reduced anxiety in a supportive group setting. Among 46 participants, average psilocin consumption was 27.1 mg. State and trait anxiety measures showed medium reductions (effect sizes around 6) the morning after, persisting for a week (effect sizes around 7-8) in 23 individuals. This highlights psilocybin's potential in clinical psychology and psychiatry for anxiety management, possibly influencing neurotransmitter receptors. Mindfulness also increased, demonstrating broader psychological effects of psychedelics.
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychiatric disorders among Western countries. Evidence-based treatment modalities including pharmaco...
OAV and 5D-ASC for Brazilian Portuguese: A validation and adaptation study.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – June 28, 2025
Summary
Understanding the profound subjective experiences induced by Psychedelics is crucial. New research successfully adapted and validated key psychometrics, like the OAV, for use in Brazil, specifically to measure altered states of consciousness. Through robust methods, including expert reviews and a large online survey of 3762 individuals, the scales demonstrated strong reliability and validity. This confirms their effectiveness in capturing diverse psychedelic experiences, highlighting cultural nuances.
Abstract
This study aimed to validate and culturally adapt the Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (OAV) and Five Dimensional-Altered States of Con...
Effective Connectivity of Functionally Anticorrelated Networks Under Lysergic Acid Diethylamide.
Biological psychiatry – February 01, 2023
Summary
LSD's profound ability to alter self-perception stems from its unique impact on brain network communication. Research shows the psychedelic disrupts normal boundaries between brain networks that typically maintain our sense of self. Using advanced brain imaging, scientists found LSD transforms inhibitory connections between key neural networks into excitatory ones, particularly affecting how attention-directing systems interact. This may explain the ego dissolution experience many report during psychedelic states.
Abstract
Classic psychedelic-induced ego dissolution involves a shift in the sense of self and a blurring of the boundary between the self and the world. A ...
Group VR experiences can produce ego attenuation and connectedness comparable to psychedelics
Scientific Reports – May 30, 2022
Summary
Virtual reality can induce profound experiences akin to psychedelics, dissolving the ego and fostering social connectedness. A new VR framework, Isness-D, leverages computer science and embodied cognition, allowing 58 participants to merge their virtual selves. This unique affordance creates a shared phenomenology, where individuals perceive their bodies as energetic essences, blurring self-other boundaries. Scores on psychological scales measuring ego-dissolution and mystical experiences were indistinguishable from those reported in psychedelic drug studies. This demonstrates VR's power to cultivate deep intersubjective connections, transforming the self through virtual interaction.
Abstract
Abstract With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and i...
N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)-Occasioned Familiarity and the Sense of Familiarity Questionnaire (SOF-Q).
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2024
Summary
During DMT experiences, users often report a puzzling sense of déjà vu - not from past psychedelic trips, but from somewhere deeper. Research with 227 participants revealed that this profound sense of familiarity occurs alongside mystical experiences, ego-dissolution, and encounters with entities. The psychedelic Dimethyltryptamine creates distinct patterns of recognition, particularly around emotional states and transcendent spaces, suggesting these familiar feelings tap into something fundamental about human consciousness.
Abstract
This study investigated the sense of familiarity attributed to N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) experiences. 227 naturalistic inhaled-DMT experiences ...
Dissolving the self
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences – March 24, 2020
Summary
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin profoundly alter consciousness, often dissolving the self – a phenomenon of deep philosophical and psychological interest. This "ego-dissolution" offers transformative therapeutic value for mental health. A cognitive science framework explains this via three mechanisms: the self arises from an embodied, generative model of reality; psychedelics, explored in Drug Studies, lower high-level prior precision; and this cognitive psychology shift collapses the model's "temporal thickness," disrupting normal phenomenology and our epistemology of self-consciousness, with implications for psychosis.
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT are known to induce powerful alterations in phenomenology. Perhaps of most philosophical and scie...
Expectancies for Subjective and Antidepressant Effects in Psilocybin Users
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – September 22, 2023
Summary
Over 500 individuals using psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, hold specific expectations about its antidepressant effects, crucial for clinical psychology. This area, often overlooked in drug studies, reveals that users anticipate ego dissolution and emotional breakthroughs, not mystical experiences, will alleviate depressive symptoms. Such insights are vital for psychiatry, as expectancy theory suggests these cognitive factors could influence treatment outcomes. Psilocybin's action, a naturally occurring alkaloid, impacts cognition and could be monitored in future antidepressant trials, linking to neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. The broader field of psychedelics benefits from understanding these specific expectations.
Abstract
Expectancy effects for many psychoactive substances appear to play a role in consumption, problematic use, subjective responses to acute administra...
Acute dose-dependent effects of lysergic acid diethylamide in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects
Neuropsychopharmacology – October 15, 2020
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide's (LSD) full psychedelic effects are primarily mediated by serotonin 5-HT2A receptor activation. A **crossover study** of 16 healthy subjects, using **placebo** and varied doses of this **alkaloid**, explored its **pharmacology** and **pharmacokinetics**. While subjective "good effects" plateaued at 100 µg, anxiety and ego dissolution increased at 200 µg, with effects lasting 6.7 to 11 hours. **Ketanserin** effectively blocked the 200 µg LSD response, confirming this **neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior**. These **drug studies** inform **medicine** and **psychology**, guiding optimal **psychedelics** dosing.
Abstract
Abstract Growing interest has been seen in using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatric research and therapy. However, no modern studies h...
Psilocybin-assisted mindfulness training modulates self-consciousness and brain default mode network connectivity with lasting effects.
NeuroImage – August 01, 2019
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Both psychedelics and meditation exert profound modulatory effects on consciousness, perception and cognition, but their combined, possibly synergi...
Exploring the transformative potential of out-of-body experiences: A pathway to enhanced empathy.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – August 01, 2024
Summary
No Summary
Abstract
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are subjective phenomena during which individuals feel disembodied or perceive themselves as outside of their physic...
The potential of 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A first look at therapeutic mechanisms of action
Addiction Biology – April 01, 2024
Summary
A compelling finding in Psychedelics and Drug Studies points to 5-MeO-DMT as a rapid-acting medicine for Alcohol use disorder. Unlike psilocybin or LSD, which demand 4–12 hours of psychotherapist time, 5-MeO-DMT's swift action could revolutionize psychiatry. Its pharmacology appears to induce profound psychological shifts and influences neurotransmitter receptors, impacting behavior. This action may alleviate AUD symptoms and mood comorbidities. In the broader context of drug studies, including Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, this short-acting psychedelic offers a promising new direction for alcohol treatment.
Abstract
Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide with high economic costs. Current treatment o...
Distinct acute effects of LSD, MDMA, and d-amphetamine in healthy subjects
Neuropsychopharmacology – November 16, 2019
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) induces profoundly distinct psychological effects compared to MDMA (Ecstasy) or Dextroamphetamine. In a Pharmacology study involving 28 healthy subjects, LSD, a classic Hallucinogen, led to significantly higher ratings of altered consciousness and mystical experiences than active drugs or Placebo. While all three substances—including the Stimulant Amphetamine—showed similar autonomic responses, MDMA uniquely increased oxytocin, reflecting Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. This highlights critical differences in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, informed by Biochemical Analysis, for understanding their therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic psychedelic, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an empathogen, and d -amphetamine i...