Return of the sacred: Psychiatry's evolving relationship with spirituality.
Osama Bhatti, Mohammad Qasim Latifi
Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists June 5, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/10398562261457011 via PubMed
Summary
Contemporary psychedelic research has sparked renewed interest in the role of spirituality and meaning in psychiatry, highlighting both therapeutic potential and ethical risks in addressing existential suffering. The article discusses the historical and clinical tensions surrounding spirituality in psychiatry and suggests that there is an opportunity for the field to integrate spiritual dimensions of distress while maintaining scientific integrity.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Psychedelic-assisted therapies may offer therapeutic potential for existential suffering while also presenting ethical risks. |
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Abstract
BackgroundPsychiatry has long maintained an ambivalent relationship with religion and spirituality, often acknowledging their relevance while remaining cautious about clinical engagement.ObjectivesThis article examines the historical, conceptual, and clinical tensions surrounding spirituality in psychiatry and explores how contemporary psychedelic research has renewed attention to meaning and transcendence.DiscussionWe examine definitions, nosology, and evidence linking spirituality and meaning within psychiatry. We explore how psychedelic-assisted therapies highlight both therapeutic potential and ethical risks in addressing existential suffering.ConclusionPsychiatry faces a challenging opportunity to integrate spiritual dimensions of distress without compromising scientific integrity, shaping its future relationship with the sacred.