Metacognitive Feelings of Epistemic Gain are Central to the Understanding of Psychedelic-Induced Mystical-Type Experiences
Federico Seragnoli, Fabienne Picard, Gabriel Thorens, Albert Buchard, M Geyer, Angela Abatista, Polina Ponomarenko, Cyril Petignat, Marco Riccardi, Maëlle Bisson, Lucien Rochat, Louise Penzestadler, Daniele Zullino, Joël Billieux
Cognitive Therapy and Research March 29, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1007/s10608-025-10588-z via OpenAlex
Summary
The study proposes a cognitive-grounded perspective to understand the psychological processes of mystical-type experiences in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). It suggests that metacognition, particularly feelings of epistemic gain, plays a role in these experiences. The authors review how metacognition can be influenced by psychedelics and its implications for therapeutic practices, including preparation and integration. They also highlight areas for future research in this context.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Metacognition, specifically feelings of epistemic gain, is proposed to influence mystical-type experiences induced by psychedelics in therapeutic contexts. |
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Abstract
Abstract Purpose Despite the presence of mystical-type experiences in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), an understanding of the cognitive processes involved is still lacking. Guided by theory and empirical research, we hypothesized a cognitive-grounded perspective based on current metacognition models to promote the understanding of the psychological processes involved in mystical-type experiences induced by psychedelic substances. Method The definition of metacognition is reviewed, with a particular focus on its role in psychotherapy and how it is used to understand altered states of consciousness such as meditation, lucid dreaming, and ecstatic epilepsy. We theoretically posited that metacognition is affected by psychedelic substance intake. We used metacognition models to understand the noetic facet of the mystical-type experience potentially induced by psychedelics, focusing on insight processes and proposing a specific definition of the “Aha!”/ “Eureka!” experience as a metacognitive feeling of epistemic gain. Results We hypothesized that the noetic feature of the psychedelic-induced mystical-type experience might account for the activation of procedural, performance-based, outcome-related metacognitive feelings, which are metacognitive feelings of epistemic gain. Conclusions We review the potential implications of this framework within PAT in relation to clinically relevant aspects such as therapeutic preparation, intention setting, and outcome and integration; the use of music; traumatic memory recall; therapists’ self-experience; suggestibility; and spiritual bypassing. Ultimately, we describe different lines of further research.