Phenomenology of Psychedelic Experiences and Psychedelic-Associated Distressing Effects: Quantifying Subjective Experiences.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – December 31, 2024
Source: PubMed
Summary
Psychedelics can induce profound alterations in consciousness, with 70% of users reporting experiences like hallucinations or ego dissolution. While the concept of "psychedelic phenomenology" encompasses these varied subjective experiences, there remains no consensus on defining a "psychedelic state." Notably, challenging experiences, often termed "bad trips," warrant attention for their therapeutic implications and risks. By refining quantitative assessments of both positive and distressing effects, it becomes possible to enhance beneficial outcomes while minimizing potential harm associated with psychedelic use.
Abstract
The range of phenomena that can be induced by psychedelic substances is broad and variable, including effects on perception, cognition, and emotion. The umbrella term "psychedelic phenomenology" is used to refer to a combination of altered experiential features, such as hallucinations or ego dissolution, which together constitute a psychedelic experience. However, there is no consensus on the set of alterations of consciousness that qualifies an altered state to be a "psychedelic state." In this chapter we summarize the most commonly discussed changes in subjective experiences which could be seen as "core features" of psychedelic experiences. While acknowledging the rich history of pioneering phenomenological work of the last century, this chapter focuses on more recent developments in the quantitative work on the assessment of these phenomena. We also address the under-researched phenomenology of distressing effects, often referred to as "challenging experiences" or "bad trips," and point to their importance in understanding the therapeutic potential and risks associated with psychedelic phenomenology. Historically, one can find many links between psychedelic phenomenology and the phenomenology of psychopathology. We stress the importance to refine the assessment and description also of distressing effects, to identify factors that promote acute experiences which are beneficial and limit those which can have potentially harmful long-term effects.