Psychedelic Science of Spirituality and Religion: An Attachment-Informed Agenda Proposal
OpenAlex – December 25, 2021
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psychedelics hold profound potential to reshape our deepest relational patterns, offering a new perspective on spirituality. Integrating Attachment theory with Psychology, this framework suggests natural compounds might relax rigid beliefs formed by early interpersonal communication. Psychological intervention, often guided by a psychotherapist, could then foster increased attachment security. Phenomenology reveals these experiences, from a Social psychology perspective, alleviate attachment-related worries and promote connection to others and the divine. This agenda outlines how chemical synthesis of alkaloids in Psychedelics and Drug Studies could offer significant therapeutic benefits.
Abstract
In this paper, we set an agenda for a psychedelic science of spirituality and religion, based on a synthesis of attachment theory with the Relaxed Beliefs Under pSychedelics (REBUS) model. Attachment theory proposes that people develop internal working models (IWMs) of interactions with others from their relational experiences with caregivers. Such IWMs then function as high-level priors enabling people, for better and for worse, to predict and organize their interpersonal and religious/spiritual relationships. One mechanism by which efficacious psychedelic interventions may work is by relaxing the grip of rigid, defensive priors (e.g., insecure IWMs with regard to others and God), further amplified by corrective relational experiences with the therapist, God, or others. We outline three key proposals to steer future research. First, individual differences in attachment security predict the phenomenology and integration of psychedelic experiences. Second, efficacious psychedelic therapy facilitates increased attachment security as a clinically relevant outcome. Third, attachment-related dynamics (e.g., a sense of connection to others and God, alleviation of attachment-related worries and defenses) are process-level mechanisms involved in the clinical utility of psychedelic treatment. Finally, we discuss the role of religion and spirituality in psychedelic experiences from an attachment perspective.