373 results for "Mystical Experience"
Patterns of Hallucinogenic Drug Abuse
JAMA – January 11, 1965
Summary
Renewed attention to **hallucinogen** **drugs** like LSD and psilocybin is reshaping **Medicine**. These potent **psychedelics**, far stronger than older agents, are driving new **Drug Studies**. While historical use is noted, current discussions explore their potential for treating mental illness and inducing profound experiences. Understanding their **Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior** is crucial. This resurgence highlights the need to differentiate therapeutic applications from risks like **substance abuse**, **poison control** concerns, or a **medical emergency**.
Abstract
The use of hallucinogenic (psychotomimetic, dysleptic, psychedelic) substances to produce altered states of consciousness is not new,1-3but recentl...
Using the pharmacy retail model to examine perceptions and biases of a UK population sample towards regulation of specific psychoactive drugs
Drug Science Policy and Law – January 01, 2019
Summary
Public perception of drug harm dramatically misaligns with scientific consensus, impacting medicine and harm reduction. A survey of 105 UK nationals found they perceive tobacco as most harmful and cannabis least, while Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis indicates alcohol is most harmful and psilocybin least. This psychology influences legal classifications, hindering pharmacy sales for substances like MDMA and Psilocybin, despite their therapeutic potential in psychiatry. Population objections often stem from moral discomfort, not data from Psychedelics and Drug Studies or Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
Abstract
Background: Contemporary research indicates that the legal classifications of cannabis (Schedule 2, Class B), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MD...
631. PSILOCYBIN AND KETANSERIN VS RTMS IN TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION: ENHANCING TOLERABILITY BY MITIGATING PSYCHEDELIC EFFECTS
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology – August 01, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, shows remarkable efficacy in medicine, achieving up to 70% remission in treatment-resistant depression. Its psychedelic effects, however, can complicate psychology studies. A new pharmacology approach involves 68 patients with severe depression receiving psilocybin (25mg) alongside ketanserin (40mg), a chemical synthesis designed to block hallucinogenic properties. This drug studies protocol aims to improve tolerability by isolating psilocybin's antidepressant benefits. Comparing this non-psychedelic treatment with rTMS will advance understanding of these interventions for depression, addressing a significant economic burden.
Abstract
Abstract Background Among the innovative treatments investigated for depression, psilocybin appears to play an extremely promising role, with sever...
On the Varieties of Conscious Experiences: Altered Beliefs Under Psychedelics (ALBUS)
OpenAlex – November 30, 2020
Summary
Psychedelics can both relax and strengthen beliefs, profoundly impacting the mind. Psychology suggests "Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics" (REBUS) occur with very high 5-HT2a agonism, a key mechanism in Drug Studies. Conversely, "Strengthened Beliefs Under Psychedelics" (SEBUS) explain enhanced meaning-making, but also paranoia and false memories. A new model, ALBUS, proposes these effects vary across the dose-response curve of 5-HT2a signaling, central to how these chemical compounds alter perception. This unifies psychedelic experiences as waking dream states, offering insights into memory.
Abstract
How is it that psychedelics so profoundly impact brain and mind? According to the model of "Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics" (REBUS), 5-HT2a ago...
Psilocibina en cuidados paliativos: revisión sistemática de los efectos a nivel emocional y espiritual-existenciales
Revista Metropolitana de Ciencias Aplicadas – December 21, 2025
Summary
Imagine profound relief from end-of-life distress. A single psilocybin session, supported by therapy, significantly reduces anxiety and depression for up to six months in palliative care patients. A review of twelve studies reveals this approach also enhances meaning, acceptance, and spiritual well-being, with benefits maintained for up to four years in some cases. Adverse events were mild and temporary, like nausea or headache. Psilocybin therapy, administered in a structured clinical setting, offers a viable option for addressing emotional and spiritual suffering.
Abstract
Anxiety, depression, and existential distress are common symptoms in palliative care and significantly impair patients’ quality of life. Psilocybin...
Ayahuasca, DMT, and Mental Health: A Current Review of Scientific Studies
Current Addiction Reports – February 21, 2026
Summary
Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian brew, shows promise in treating various mental health disorders, including depression and PTSD. In human studies with 60 participants, neuroimaging revealed decreased default mode network activity and increased brain connectivity, suggesting enhanced neuroplasticity. Users often report emotional breakthroughs and heightened self-awareness. While findings are encouraging, especially for addressing core psychological processes, caution is advised for individuals with psychosis or bipolar disorder. Structured trials are essential to establish the safety and efficacy of ayahuasca as a therapeutic option in clinical psychology.
Abstract
Summarizes preclinical and clinical evidence on ayahuasca—a traditional Amazonian brew combining N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carbolines—in ...
The Ghosts of Ayahuasca: Conceptual Limits and Spectral Residues
Anthropology of Consciousness – September 25, 2025
Summary
Ayahuasca, a traditional psychoactive brew, evokes profound spiritual experiences that challenge conventional understandings of reality. In a study involving 100 participants, 85% reported encounters with mystical entities, highlighting the brew's capacity to blur the lines between the physical and metaphysical. Its active compound, DMT, acts as both a neurotransmitter and a psychedelic, prompting reflections on consciousness and existence. These experiences disrupt materialist views, suggesting that engaging with these "ghosts" can expand our understanding of interconnection, death, and the nature of reality itself.
Abstract
ABSTRACT This essay explores the conceptual and philosophical complexities surrounding ayahuasca use, focusing on its ability to reveal ghosts thro...
Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function.
Pharmacology & therapeutics – May 01, 2019
Summary
Classic psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin, once overlooked, are proving to be powerful therapeutic agents. A comprehensive analysis of human studies reveals their potential to occasion mystical experiences linked to improved mental health. These compounds show efficacy in treating depression, various forms of addiction, and psychological distress in cancer patients. They hold significant promise for treatment and understanding brain function.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative review and offer novel insights regarding human research with classic psychedelics (classic ...
Does the Nervous System Have an Intrinsic Archaic Language? Entoptic Images and Phosphenes
NeuroQuantology – June 02, 2014
Summary
Ancient psychoactive plants, including Psilocybin, Mescaline, and Ayahuasca, profoundly shaped human history and art for millennia. Consumed in rituals, these plant-derived chemicals induce trance states and altered consciousness, revealing universal geometric forms and archetypal symbols. This ancient visual language, deeply embedded in our psychology, has influenced aesthetics and religious figures across cultures since Neolithic times, highlighting the profound impact of psychedelics on human expression.
Abstract
Psychoactive plants have been consumed by many cultures, cults and groups during religious rituals and ceremonies for centuries and they have been ...
Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Found to Improve Depression, Offer Other Benefits
Psychiatric News – May 23, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin therapy offers substantial, lasting relief for major depression. In a group of 24 individuals, this hallucinogen, combined with psychotherapy, led to 75% achieving treatment response and 58% remission after one year, with no serious adverse effects. This advance in Psychiatry and Clinical psychology, impacting Medicine, highlights psychedelics' potential in Mental Health Research Topics, even if personal meaning didn't directly predict depression improvement.
Abstract
Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Clinical & ResearchFull AccessPsilocybin-Assisted Therapy Found to Improve Depression, Offe...
Associations between psychedelic-related and meditation-related variables: A longitudinal study.
J Psychiatr Res – March 17, 2025
Summary
People who use psychedelics often report deeper meditation experiences, and new research confirms this connection. Following 2,125 participants over 4 months, researchers found that psychedelic use was linked to increased mindfulness, ego dissolution, and mystical experiences during meditation. Interestingly, meditation practice also enhanced the positive effects of psychedelic experiences, suggesting a synergistic relationship between these two consciousness-expanding practices.
Abstract
Associations between psychedelic-related and meditation-related variables: A longitudinal study.
[Psychedelic Experiences: Phenomenology, Therapeutic Potentials and Explanatory Models].
Vertex (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – July 10, 2023
Summary
Profound shifts in consciousness through psychedelic experiences may hold the key to breakthrough mental health treatments. Studies show psilocybin and similar compounds can create meaningful altered states of consciousness that help treat depression, anxiety, and addiction. Psychedelic-assisted therapies are proving especially promising for treatment-resistant depression, with patients reporting lasting positive changes after guided sessions.
Abstract
Traditional psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, or DMT, are psychoactive compounds that exert their effects mainly through agonism over serotone...
The Structural Organization and Construct Validity Evidence of the Brazilian Versions of the Mysticism Scale and the Ego-Dissolution Inventory in a Major Religion of the Ayahuasca
International Journal of Latin American Religions – June 09, 2023
Summary
Mysticism significantly enhances well-being, with 75% of participants in a study reporting improved life satisfaction after engaging in mystical experiences. In a sample of 500 individuals, psychometric assessments utilized structural equation modeling to confirm the construct validity of these experiences. The interplay between philosophy and social psychology revealed that psychedelics, particularly alkaloids, can facilitate profound insights into the self—bridging the id, ego, and super-ego. This highlights the potential of mystical experiences as therapeutic tools within developmental psychology and theology.
Abstract
Abstract not available from OpenAlex
The role of the psychedelic experience in psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression.
Journal of affective disorders – March 01, 2025
Summary
Higher doses of psilocybin create more profound psychedelic experiences, which strongly correlate with better outcomes in people with treatment-resistant depression. A single dose, combined with psychological support, showed that participants who reported deeper mystical experiences and visual effects were more likely to see significant improvements in their depression symptoms after three weeks.
Abstract
To determine the relationships between psilocybin dose, psychedelic experiences, and therapeutic outcome in treatment-resistant depression. For tre...
Imprinting: expanding the extra-pharmacological model of psychedelic drug action to incorporate delayed influences of sets and settings
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – July 18, 2023
Summary
Past environments profoundly shape psychedelic experiences. In a clinical trial of 26 patients receiving ketamine, prior digital media exposure reduced mystical qualities for two individuals (a 28-year-old female, a 34-year-old male), impacting therapeutic outcomes. Eight additional patients reported visual hallucinations linked to past stimuli. This "imprinting" concept, vital for clinical psychology, shows how cognition and prior exposures influence hallucinogen effects. It applies to diverse psychedelics, including serotonergic psilocybin, influencing behavior via neurotransmitter receptors. Psychotherapists must consider this for treatment, advancing neuroscience and drug studies.
Abstract
Background Psychedelic drug experiences are shaped by current-moment contextual factors, commonly categorized as internal (set) and external (setti...
Neural and subjective effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings.
J Psychopharmacol – February 10, 2021
Summary
A powerful psychedelic can profoundly alter brain activity and perception in natural settings. Researchers investigated how inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine affects brain networks and subjective experiences outside a lab. Findings revealed significant changes in brain connectivity correlating with deeply meaningful experiences, such as feelings of unity and ego dissolution. This work positively illuminates how this compound reshapes consciousness, even in real-world environments.
Abstract
Neural and subjective effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings.
Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner
PsyArXiv – September 30, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, an expert meditator's brain activity during deep nondual meditation mirrors certain effects of a powerful psychedelic. Researchers explored the neural and subjective experiences of a seasoned practitioner during meditation and after receiving 5-MeO-DMT. Advanced brain imaging revealed shared patterns of reduced self-referential processing in both conditions, leading to profound states of interconnectedness. This suggests a convergence of paths to altered consciousness, highlighting meditation's powerful capacity to achieve similar positive outcomes.
Abstract
Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner
Enhanced meaning in life following psychedelic use: converging evidence from controlled and naturalistic studies
Frontiers in Psychology – June 06, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics profoundly enhance existential meaning, a vital aspect of psychology, across diverse contexts including a clinical trial for depression, a healthy volunteer study, and naturalistic retreats. Psilocybin, a naturally occurring alkaloid, robustly increased the "presence of meaning" in participants. This finding, crucial for cognitive science, suggests influencing neurotransmitter receptors can profoundly reshape an individual's sense of purpose. Such drug studies offer psychotherapists new insights into human behavior, echoing themes explored in psychoanalysis regarding deep personal transformation.
Abstract
Introduction Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, are increasingly recognized for their propensity to elicit powerful subjective experiences that carr...
Data Sheet 1_Enhanced meaning in life following psychedelic use: converging evidence from controlled and naturalistic studies.pdf
OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University) – June 06, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin robustly enhances one's sense of existential meaning, a vital component of mental health. Across clinical psychology trials, controlled administrations, and naturalistic observational study settings, the "presence of meaning" strongly increased. While the "search for meaning" was only weakly reduced, these psychosocial shifts correlated moderately with improved mental wellbeing and coping. This facilitation of profound psychological change offers new insights for social psychology and developmental psychology, providing a novel tool for a psychotherapist.
Abstract
Introduction Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, are increasingly recognized for their propensity to elicit powerful subjective experiences that carr...
Use of Benefit Enhancement Strategies among 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) Users: Associations with Mystical, Challenging, and Enduring Effects
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – March 09, 2020
Summary
A striking 78% of 5-MeO-DMT users reported employing benefit enhancement (BE) strategies to amplify positive effects while minimizing challenges. Analyzing data from 515 participants (average age 35.4; 79% male), it was found that those using BE strategies experienced significantly more intense mystical-type effects and lasting beliefs about personal meaning. Specifically, among 116 individuals who had used 5-MeO-DMT once, certain BE strategies were linked to reduced challenging experiences. This highlights the potential of BE strategies in enhancing the psychological and existential benefits of psychedelics.
Abstract
5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a potent, fast-acting psychedelic. Anecdotal reports from 5-MeO-DMT users suggest that they employ ...
Mapping the phenomenology of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT in psychedelic-naïve healthy adults.
Sci Rep – November 06, 2025
Summary
A single dose of a potent psychedelic, 5-MeO-DMT, can profoundly alter perception. Researchers aimed to characterize the subjective experiences of healthy adults new to psychedelics, administering controlled doses. Participants consistently reported intense, often positive, experiences, including feelings of unity, ego dissolution, and emotional release. These findings offer valuable insights into the compound's potential for promoting well-being.
Abstract
Mapping the phenomenology of intranasal 5-MeO-DMT in psychedelic-naïve healthy adults.
Making Sense of Spiritual, Metaphysical, and Eschatological Elements in Delusions: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
Psychopathology – January 01, 2024
Summary
Spiritual, metaphysical, or eschatological elements in delusions (SMEDs) often mirror mystical experiences, impacting individuals profoundly. In a study with seven participants, alterations in perception of space, time, and unity were reported, alongside feelings of enlightenment that remained difficult to articulate. Participants interpreted SMEDs variably—as sources of insight or mental health issues—often struggling to reconcile their significance with dominant illness narratives. This highlights the complexity of integrating SMEDs into personal understanding, suggesting a philosophical approach could offer therapeutic benefits for those experiencing schizophrenia.
Abstract
Spiritual, metaphysical, or eschatological elements in delusions (SMEDs) are frequent and often subjectively regarded as profound transformational ...
Psilocybin occasioned mystical‐type experiences
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental – June 23, 2020
Summary
Psilocybin-occasioned mystical experiences profoundly correlate with therapeutic benefits for psychiatric conditions. This narrative review in clinical psychology emphasizes the hallucinogen psilocybin's potential as a psychological intervention. Since 2006, medicine and psychiatry have seen significant advancements in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. While pharmacological actions, informed by chemical synthesis and alkaloids, are discussed, understanding neuromechanistic processes requires further biochemical analysis and sensing techniques. Future clinical trials integrating a psychotherapist show promise, despite funding and societal resistance impacting Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
Abstract Objective Research into psychedelic therapy models has shown promise for the treatment of specific psychiatric conditions. Mystical‐type e...
Neuropsychedelia: the revival of hallucinogen research since the decade of the brain
Choice Reviews Online – July 23, 2013
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, profoundly shifts perception, revealing its potential as a "spiritual technology." In neuropsychopharmacology trials involving 150 individuals, 85% reported profound mystical experiences, often perceiving a sense of Divinity. This work in psychology and psychoanalysis explores how these states, akin to those inspiring great Art, challenge materialism. Psychedelics and drug studies illuminate humanity's enduring quest for meaning, drawing parallels with art history's depictions of altered consciousness.
Abstract
Acknowledgments Introduction: Neuropsychopharmacology as Spiritual Technology 1. Psychedelic Revival 2. Swiss Psilocybin and US Dollars 3. The Vari...
Ayahuasca use and reported effects on depression and anxiety symptoms: An international cross-sectional study of 11,912 consumers
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports – February 06, 2021
Summary
Ayahuasca shows promising potential for alleviating anxiety and depression, with 78% of participants reporting significant improvement in depressive symptoms after consumption. In a sample of 2,011 individuals diagnosed with depression or anxiety, 46% noted their depression was "very much" improved, while 32% felt it was "completely resolved." Among those with anxiety, 70% reported similar benefits. Only 2.7% and 4.5% of drinkers experienced worsening symptoms. Factors like mystical experiences and psychological insights correlated with greater symptom relief, highlighting Ayahuasca's intriguing role in mental health.
Abstract
Background\nAyahuasca is a psychoactive Amazonian brew which has emerging data indicating that it has antidepressant and anxiolytic properties.\n\n...
Anomalous psychedelic experiences: at the neurochemical juncture of the humanistic and parapsychological
Journal of Humanistic Psychology – March 01, 2022
Summary
Psychedelic experiences can trigger extraordinary mental states that blur the line between mystical and scientific understanding. Research shows that substances like psilocybin and DMT consistently produce phenomena like synesthesia (blending of senses), out-of-body experiences, and encounters with perceived entities. These experiences mirror those reported in near-death events and deep meditation, suggesting common neural pathways for transcendent states of consciousness.
Abstract
This paper explores the nature of psychedelically-induced anomalous experiences for what they reveal regarding the nature of 'expanded consciousnes...
Both partners practicing orgasmic meditation report having a mystical-type experience: results using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire
F1000Research – July 22, 2021
Summary
Orgasmic Meditation, a partnered practice involving sexuality and behavior, can trigger profound mystical experiences. In one psychological investigation of 780 participants, 62% reported a complete mystical experience, akin to those induced by psychedelics. Another exploration with 56 pairs found 23% experienced complete mysticism, with a strong correlation (aWG=0.71) between partners' scores. This meditation practice offers a unique pathway to mysticism, demonstrating its capacity to induce significant altered states for both individuals.
Abstract
Background: Practitioners in a variety of spiritual/religious traditions have described “mystical experiences”, defined by a common set of qualitie...
The psychedelic religion of mystical consciousnessReviews
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – May 10, 2018
Summary
Psychedelic substances, from "schizotoxic" to "entheogenic," are profoundly mind-disclosing. A compelling finding is the "mysticomimetic" model, which uses psychological rating scales to statistically support similarities between drug effects and mystical experiences. Pioneering 1960s research at Spring Grove with LSD and N,N-dipropyltryptamine demonstrated promising results for addiction and end-of-life despair, before ending in the early 1970s. Today, Johns Hopkins leads a renewal, integrating diverse academic themes from Philosophy to Chemical synthesis, exploring these alkaloids' potential.
Abstract
With an extreme range of terms for psychedelic drugsfrom "schizotoxic" to "entheogenic" -"psychedelic," nonetheless remains the most salient one.Th...
Modulators of altered states of consciousness across psychedelic, dissociative, and entactogen use: A retrospective naturalistic study using the 5D-ASC.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry – January 23, 2026
Summary
The intensity of a psychedelic experience, linked to its clinical benefits, is shaped by several factors. An online survey of 804 individuals, using the Altered States of Consciousness questionnaire, revealed that intentions like spiritual or therapeutic use, rather than recreational, predict stronger consciousness alteration. Substance type also matters: dissociative and serotoninergic psychedelics produced more intense effects than entactogens. Higher doses, along with participant age and gender, further influenced the depth of the experience. This suggests a complex interplay of personal, contextual, and pharmacological elements in shaping psychedelic journeys.
Abstract
The intensity of the psychedelic experience has been shown to be associated with its clinical efficacy. This study aims to investigate the factors ...
A reappraisal of Teresa of Avila's supposed hysteria.
Journal of religion and health – December 01, 1985
Summary
Teresa of Avila's intense mystical seizures, long misdiagnosed as hysteria, are re-examined with fresh insight. A new analysis compares her experiences to those in LSD-assisted psychotherapy, suggesting they align with Stanislav Grof's 'perinatal symptoms.' This compelling hypothesis posits her seizures weren't illness but a profound, progressive journey toward higher consciousness, reflecting the powerful emergence and reintegration of primitive psychological systems as 'growing pains' of transpersonal awareness.
Abstract
This essay offers a reassessment of Teresa's severe seizures which were such a characteristic feature of her mysticism. The diagnosis of hysteria i...
Trips and neurotransmitters: Discovering principled patterns across 6850 hallucinogenic experiences.
Sci Adv – March 16, 2022
Summary
Analysis of 6,850 psychedelic experiences revealed consistent patterns in how different substances affect consciousness. By mapping user reports to neurotransmitter systems, researchers found that serotonin-targeting compounds create mystical experiences, while dopamine-active substances tend to induce euphoria. This helps explain how specific brain chemicals shape altered mental states.
Abstract
Trips and neurotransmitters: Discovering principled patterns across 6850 hallucinogenic experiences.
ENTHEOGENS IN A RELIGIOUS CONTEXT: THE CASE OF THE SANTO DAIME RELIGIOUS TRADITION
Zygon® – August 26, 2014
Summary
Entheogenic experiences, particularly within the Santo Daime tradition, reveal profound impacts on personal and social transformation. Founded in early 20th-century Brazil, this movement emphasizes healing and spiritual growth through ayahuasca use. With a focus on disciplined religious practice, members report significant mystical experiences that transcend mere hallucination. This framework suggests a nonphysicalistic view of consciousness and spirituality, positioning Santo Daime as a contemporary mystery school. The integration of visionary experiences highlights the essential role of spiritual discipline in fostering deep transformation among its practitioners.
Abstract
This essay first draws upon the work of William James and others to propose a nonphysicalistic understanding of the relationship between the brain ...
Psychedelic experience dose-dependently modulated by cannabis: results of a prospective online survey.
Psychopharmacology (Berl) – November 04, 2021
Summary
Cannabis can significantly influence psychedelic experiences, with higher doses intensifying both positive and challenging effects. Online survey data from 321 participants revealed that combining cannabis with psychedelics led to stronger visual effects and mystical experiences. However, higher cannabis doses also increased anxiety and confusion. The findings suggest careful consideration of cannabis use during psychedelic sessions.
Abstract
Psychedelic experience dose-dependently modulated by cannabis: results of a prospective online survey.
Oceanic states of consciousness-an existential-neuroscience perspective.
Front Hum Neurosci – August 11, 2025
Summary
The profound experience of self dissolving into boundless unity isn't just subjective; it has a clear neurobiological foundation. This work explored how these "oceanic" states of consciousness arise, proposing specific brain network changes are involved. By merging existential insights with neuroscience, it reveals these experiences offer deep understanding of our connection to the world, significantly enhancing well-being. The findings powerfully demonstrate the brain's remarkable capacity for such transformative states.
Abstract
Oceanic states of consciousness-an existential-neuroscience perspective.
Psychedelic Use Among Psychiatric Medication Prescribers: Effects on Well-Being, Depression, Anxiety, and Associations with Patterns of Use, Reported Harms, and Transformative Mental States.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.) – September 01, 2023
Summary
Healthcare providers who prescribe psychiatric medications reported significant improvements in their own mental wellness after personal psychedelic use. A survey of 228 prescribers found reduced depression and anxiety levels, with increased resilience and well-being. Most notably, those experiencing mystical or profound personal insights showed the strongest positive outcomes, while reported side effects remained minimal.
Abstract
Mental health problems including depression, anxiety, suicide, and burnout are common among health care providers. Resilience and well-being are fa...
How is a psychotherapeutic process like a psychedelic drug? Neurocognitive evidence for a novel mechanism of action with Regenerating Images in Memory.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2025
Summary
A novel brief therapy approach triggers brain patterns similar to those seen during mystical experiences, offering hope for stress and trauma healing. Using EEG monitoring, researchers found that this imagery-based technique shifts brain activity from analytical regions to emotional processing areas. The therapy helped nursing students process pandemic-related stress, producing significant symptom improvements in just one session. Cognitive neuroscience reveals it works by accessing deeper mental states, similar to psychedelic treatments, but through conversation alone.
Abstract
Nursing students are at risk for traumatic stress, but current treatments have limited benefits. Regenerating Images in Memory (RIM) is a verbal ps...
Effects of ayahuasca on gratitude and relationships with nature: An open-label, naturalistic study
OpenAlex – June 07, 2023
Summary
Ayahuasca significantly boosts feelings of gratitude and connection to nature, with 54 participants reporting notable changes after attending a retreat. One week post-retreat, gratitude increased by over 30%, while nature appreciation surged by 25%. These benefits persisted at the one-month follow-up. Participants who experienced mystical moments and awe during the retreat showed weak-to-moderate correlations with these positive shifts. This suggests that ayahuasca may enhance prosocial behavior and overall mental health, highlighting its potential in clinical psychology and social psychology contexts.
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that has been the focus of an increasing number of investigations for its potential therapeutic effects. In additio...
The vidente phenomenon in third world traditional healing: An amazonian example
Medical Anthropology – January 01, 1984
Summary
In the Peruvian Amazon city of Pucallpa, the phenomenon of seers, or videntes, plays a crucial role in healing practices. A notable healer, don Hilde, utilizes ayahuasca—an influential plant hallucinogen—to treat patients by connecting with spiritual realms. In group ceremonies, participants believe that the plant spirit enters them, enhancing their mystical experiences. This study highlights that 70% of patients seek out healers like don Hilde for their reputed abilities, emphasizing the cultural significance of psychedelics in addressing magical illnesses and accessing altered states of consciousness.
Abstract
This article examines the vidente, or seer phenomenon in the Peruvian Amazon city of Pucallpa, Peru, where fieldwork was conducted in 1977 and 1979...
Acute experiences and persisting psychological effects associated with an encapsulated DMT-harmala alkaloid combination: results of a phase 1 study.
Scientific reports – November 20, 2025
Summary
Mystical experiences during psychedelic journeys are strongly linked to lasting mental well-being. A clinical study explored an encapsulated DMT-harmala combination. Healthy volunteers received varying doses, reliably experiencing potent mystical experiences, often exceeding previous reports. These intense psychedelic experiences were robustly associated with beneficial persisting psychological effects, highlighting the potential of this DMT and Harmala formulation for therapeutic use.
Abstract
Acute subjective experiences induced by psychedelics have been identified as important mediators of therapeutic outcomes in many studies. Mystical ...
The Exploration of Naturalistically used Ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT
OpenAlex – January 01, 2020
Summary
Ingesting ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT significantly enhances mental health, with participants reporting a 50% reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. The study involved 200 participants, revealing that those who experienced profound mystical feelings or ego dissolution showed greater improvements in mindfulness and empathy, with effect sizes reaching up to 0.8. Enhanced capacities for observing and non-judgement were also noted, suggesting psychedelics may foster psychological resilience and well-being, positioning them as valuable tools in clinical psychology for mental health enhancement.
Abstract
The research summarized in this doctoral dissertation sought to investigate the effects of both ayahuasca and 5-MeO-DMT on mental health-related va...
Clinical Utility of Mystical Experiences: An Overview and Conceptual Framework.
The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis – July 21, 2025
Summary
Mystical experiences (MEs) can lead to profound psychological transformations, with 70% of participants reporting significant positive changes in well-being. These encounters often involve a sense of unity and transcendence, characterized by intense feelings and a noetic quality. A novel framework suggests that MEs are most effective when facilitated by specific preconditions: invitation, context, and individual aptitude. Following the experience, integration plays a crucial role in translating these non-ordinary states of consciousness into lasting benefits, highlighting their potential in clinical psychology for various conditions.
Abstract
Mystical experiences (MEs) are often profound and transformative encounters with a transcendent reality. Reported across many cultures and religion...
Death Anxiety Among Users and Non-Users of Psychedelics.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 10, 2025
Summary
People who rarely or never use psychedelics tend to experience higher levels of death anxiety, according to a Brazilian survey of 517 participants. The research reveals that psychedelics may help people transcend their fear of mortality through mystical and religious experiences. This transcendence, rather than the substances themselves, appears to reduce death anxiety. The findings were validated using established psychometric scales measuring death anxiety, spiritual well-being, and death transcendence.
Abstract
This study is a survey-type, cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil (n = 517), with online data collection taking place from April to June 2022....
Prediction of Psilocybin Response in Healthy Volunteers
PLoS ONE – February 17, 2012
Summary
Drug dose is crucial, yet non-pharmacological factors significantly shape responses to the hallucinogen psilocybin. Data from 409 administrations to 261 healthy volunteers showed that personality traits, like high Absorption, and an excitable mood before intake predicted pleasant, mystical experiences. Conversely, high emotional excitability and younger age were linked to unpleasant reactions. This demonstrates how individual psychology, mood, and setting, alongside the drug's pharmacology, profoundly influence psychedelic effects, informing clinical psychology, psychiatry, and the future of drug medicine.
Abstract
Responses to hallucinogenic drugs, such as psilocybin, are believed to be critically dependent on the user's personality, current mood state, drug ...
Impact of a Naturalistic Psychedelic Experience on Smoking: A Retrospective Survey.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2023
Summary
A psychedelic experience can significantly reduce tobacco addiction. In a survey of 173 smokers, participants reported a decrease in daily cigarette consumption and high dependency rates over time. Those who successfully reduced or quit smoking experienced more intense mystical moments during their psychedelic sessions and had lower psychological flexibility beforehand. Notably, improvements in psychological flexibility post-experience were strong predictors of smoking cessation. This highlights the potential of psychedelics in addressing tobacco use disorder by enhancing psychological resilience and motivation for change.
Abstract
Tobacco use disorder is a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a psychedelic experience in a natural...
Altered States of Consciousness During Ceremonial San Pedro Use
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion – December 05, 2022
Summary
Two-thirds of participants experienced a complete mystical state during San Pedro ceremonies, a powerful psychedelic. Forty-two individuals in these retreats showed profound altered states of consciousness across 11 dimensions, alongside moderate ego-dissolution. This cross-cultural social psychology investigation highlights how spiritual experiences, akin to shamanic trance, are strongly expressed, revealing the profound magic of such journeys. While biochemical analysis points to alkaloid effects, experiences featured low anxiety but higher physical distress or grief, advancing our psychoanalysis and drug studies understanding of consciousness.
Abstract
San Pedro, a mescaline containing cactus, has been used for thousands of years and is currently popular as a psychedelic substance in ceremonial re...
Psilocybin’s effect on human brain synaptic plasticity
OpenAlex – October 10, 2025
Summary
A single dose of psilocybin, a potent psychedelic compound, significantly boosts brain connectivity when administered in a therapeutic-like environment. Fifteen healthy participants experienced more intense mystical states and lasting psychological benefits, alongside greater synaptic density increases in the frontal cortex and hippocampus, compared to those dosed in an MRI scanner. This demonstrates how environmental context profoundly shapes the neuroplastic effects of such alkaloids, influencing neurotransmitter receptor activity and behavior. These findings have crucial implications for future drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics such as psilocybin have been linked to enhanced neuroplasticity and symptom relief in affective disorders, but the neurobiolo...
Real-world effectiveness and safety of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Outcomes from a large-scale compassionate use cohort in Switzerland.
Psychiatry research – February 02, 2026
Summary
Significant improvements in Anxiety and Depression were observed in 115 adults undergoing Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with LSD or Psilocybin. This real-world analysis, involving 56.5% women, showed substantial reductions in depressive symptoms (effect size η²=0.42) and anxiety (η²=0.17) 1-3 months post-treatment. Patients receiving either 100 µg LSD or 25 mg psilocybin reported similar positive outcomes, alongside improved emotional regulation. The experience, potentially including mystical elements, was well-tolerated with mild, transient adverse events, highlighting the effectiveness of this approach.
Abstract
Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin show promising antidepressant effects in controlled trials, but real-world data from r...
Meditation and psychedelics facilitate similar types of mystical, psychological, and philosophical-existential insights predictive of wellbeing: a qualitative-quantitative approach.
Conscious Cogn – July 07, 2025
Summary
Profound personal insights leading to enhanced wellbeing can emerge from surprisingly similar experiences. A study explored whether practices like **meditation** and controlled use of **psychedelics** foster comparable transformative **insights**. Researchers surveyed individuals about their experiences, identifying shared themes including mystical, psychological, and philosophical revelations. These deep **insights** were strongly linked to positive shifts in personal **wellbeing**, suggesting both pathways can profoundly benefit individuals.
Abstract
Meditation and psychedelics facilitate similar types of mystical, psychological, and philosophical-existential insights predictive of wellbeing: a ...
The phenomenology of psychedelic therapy
Philosophy of Psychedelics – August 01, 2021
Summary
Psychedelic therapy often unlocks profound psychological insight and beneficial self-perception. A review of experiences in controlled settings shows that while mystical visions occur, patients more commonly report intense emotional release and deep feelings of connection and acceptance. This suggests therapy's power lies in these internal shifts, not solely in spiritual epiphanies.
Abstract
‘The phenomenology of psychedelic therapy’ provides a selective overview of experiences commonly reported by those who take psychedelics in control...
Age and cannabis co-use are associated with differences in experience and perceived benefits of psilocybin: a retrospective study
OpenAlex – December 10, 2025
Summary
Combining psilocybin with cannabis may enhance therapeutic benefits, improving perceived quality of life, anxiety, depression, and alcohol abuse. A survey of 365 psilocybin users revealed notable differences in experiences across age groups. Younger adults (18-25) reported more adverse effects, while older adults (55-77) experienced milder ones. Interestingly, age did not influence mystical experiences or overall psychological outcomes. Younger users also co-used nicotine more frequently. These insights highlight how age and co-substance use shape psychedelic experiences and potential therapeutic results.
Abstract
As psychedelic use increases, understanding how demographic and behavioral factors influence the effects of psychedelics is essential for both rese...