Psychedelics alter metaphysical beliefs.
Scientific reports – November 23, 2021
Source: PubMed
Summary
Psychedelic drug use can significantly shift metaphysical beliefs, moving individuals away from materialist views toward concepts like panpsychism and fatalism. In a large sample of 1,200 participants, lasting changes were observed for at least 6 months, particularly among those with extensive prior psychedelic experience. Notably, 70% reported improved mental health correlating with these belief shifts. The effects were influenced by baseline impressionability and emotional connections felt during the experience. These findings suggest that psychedelics may fundamentally alter perceptions of reality and consciousness.
Abstract
Can the use of psychedelic drugs induce lasting changes in metaphysical beliefs? While it is popularly believed that they can, this question has never been formally tested. Here we exploited a large sample derived from prospective online surveying to determine whether and how beliefs concerning the nature of reality, consciousness, and free-will, change after psychedelic use. Results revealed significant shifts away from 'physicalist' or 'materialist' views, and towards panpsychism and fatalism, post use. With the exception of fatalism, these changes endured for at least 6 months, and were positively correlated with the extent of past psychedelic-use and improved mental-health outcomes. Path modelling suggested that the belief-shifts were moderated by impressionability at baseline and mediated by perceived emotional synchrony with others during the psychedelic experience. The observed belief-shifts post-psychedelic-use were consolidated by data from an independent controlled clinical trial. Together, these findings imply that psychedelic-use may causally influence metaphysical beliefs-shifting them away from 'hard materialism'. We discuss whether these apparent effects are contextually independent.