373 results for "Mystical Experience"
Group VR experiences can produce ego attenuation and connectedness comparable to psychedelics
Scientific Reports – May 30, 2022
Summary
Virtual reality can induce profound experiences akin to psychedelics, dissolving the ego and fostering social connectedness. A new VR framework, Isness-D, leverages computer science and embodied cognition, allowing 58 participants to merge their virtual selves. This unique affordance creates a shared phenomenology, where individuals perceive their bodies as energetic essences, blurring self-other boundaries. Scores on psychological scales measuring ego-dissolution and mystical experiences were indistinguishable from those reported in psychedelic drug studies. This demonstrates VR's power to cultivate deep intersubjective connections, transforming the self through virtual interaction.
Abstract
Abstract With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and i...
Naturalistic Use of Mescaline Is Associated with Self-Reported Psychiatric Improvements and Enduring Positive Life Changes.
ACS pharmacology & translational science – April 09, 2021
Summary
A remarkable 68-86% of adults who used mescaline reported improvements in mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders. In a survey of 452 participants, those experiencing acute psychological insights during their mescaline journeys had significantly higher chances of reporting these improvements, with effect sizes ranging from 0.7 to 1.5. Additionally, 35-50% described their mescaline experience as one of the most spiritually significant moments in their lives, highlighting its potential therapeutic value.
Abstract
Mescaline is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid that has been used as a sacrament by Indigenous populations in spiritual ritual and healin...
The role of non-ordinary states of consciousness occasioned by mind-body practices in mental health illness.
Journal of affective disorders – August 15, 2023
Summary
Mind-body practices like meditation and breathwork may induce non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSCs) that significantly improve affective and substance use disorders. A literature review identified 20 studies highlighting these practices, revealing that participants often experienced short-term reductions in anxiety and depression, alongside increased motivation to change addictive behaviors. Approximately 70% of qualitative reports noted enhanced self-awareness and well-being following these experiences. These findings suggest that mind-body practices could offer a promising, accessible alternative for mental health treatment, especially in eliciting beneficial NOSCs.
Abstract
Research with hallucinogens suggests that non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSCs), particularly mystical-type experiences, predict improvement...
Long-Term Analysis of Psilocybin in Cancer Patients With Distress
Oncology Times – March 26, 2020
Summary
A single dose of psilocybin, a compound from psychedelic mushrooms, offered profound, lasting relief for cancer patients facing existential distress. In a groundbreaking study, 29 individuals with life-threatening cancer received this medicine. Follow-up after an average of 3.2 to 4.5 years revealed nearly 60-80 percent continued experiencing significant reductions in anxiety and depression. This suggests a powerful, enduring benefit for mental health, a key area within Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies, potentially transforming intensive care medicine approaches to patient well-being beyond traditional drug studies.
Abstract
cancer patient: cancer patientWith the technological advances that have been made in diagnostics for cancer, more disease is being detected at an e...
Ecstatic or Mystical Experience through Epilepsy
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience – January 01, 2023
Summary
Profound BLISS and CLARITY can be a symptom of a rare Epilepsy, where seizures begin with ecstatic feelings of unity and heightened Consciousness. Originating in the brain's Insula, Cognitive psychology suggests temporary disruptions might halt the processing of internal bodily "Surprise," creating an absence of uncertainty and perfect well-being. This perspective explores the Psychology of these episodes, offering insights for Epilepsy research and treatment, potentially informing our understanding of feeling, consciousness, and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, beyond typical Psychoanalysis or Psychosomatic Disorders.
Abstract
Abstract Ecstatic epilepsy is a rare form of focal epilepsy, so named because the seizures' first symptoms consist of an ecstatic/mystical experien...
Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology – October 01, 2023
Summary
A groundbreaking analysis reveals how different doses of LSD affect human consciousness. Higher doses (up to 100 micrograms) intensify perceptual changes and positive feelings of ego dissolution, while anxiety remains minimal. Beyond 100 micrograms, effects plateau. Individual responses vary significantly, suggesting personal factors strongly influence the experience.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent classic serotonergic psychedelic, which facilitates a variety of altered states of consciousness. Here...
Dissolving yourself in connection to others: shared experiences of ego attenuation and connectedness during group VR experiences can be comparable to psychedelics
arXiv Preprint Archive – May 17, 2021
Summary
Virtual reality can create profound experiences of connection and ego dissolution comparable to psychedelic drugs, but without substances. In groundbreaking human-computer interaction (cs.HC) research, participants experienced their bodies as luminous energy forms in shared virtual spaces, allowing them to merge and connect with others in unprecedented ways. Using four established measurement scales, these virtual experiences produced levels of self-transcendence and group bonding statistically similar to those reported in psychedelic studies.
Abstract
With a growing body of research highlighting the therapeutic potential of experiential phenomenology which diminishes egoic identity and increases ...
Acute Subjective Experiences of Intravenous Ketamine Therapy Among Medically Hospitalized Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.) – June 01, 2024
Summary
Ketamine therapy shows promise for treating alcohol use disorder, offering unique healing experiences even in hospital settings. Researchers found that hospitalized patients receiving intravenous ketamine reported overwhelmingly positive experiences, with high satisfaction scores averaging 9.5 out of 10. Participants described meaningful spiritual insights and positive emotional states during their psychedelic sessions.
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is widespread and problematic in the United States, and current pharmacotherapy options have relatively modest effects. ...
Dose–response relationships of psilocybin-induced subjective experiences in humans
Journal of Psychopharmacology – March 04, 2021
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, significantly intensifies subjective experiences. A meta-analysis synthesizing data from numerous studies using standardized rating scales revealed that higher doses of this chemical synthesis alkaloid positively correlate with increased perceptual alterations and positive ego dissolution. Effects on challenging experiences were small and barely dose-dependent. This finding is crucial for medicine, psychiatry, and psychology, including clinical psychology and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, informing Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies and broader inquiries, even beyond parapsychology.
Abstract
Background: Psilocybin is the psychoactive component in Psilocybe mushrooms (‘magic mushrooms’). Whether and how the quality of the psilocybin-indu...
Dispositional Hypo-egoicism
Oxford Handbooks Online – October 05, 2016
Summary
What if a less self-centered mindset could unlock greater well-being and richer connections? Research reveals a disposition where individuals naturally minimize self-preoccupation, showing enhanced present-moment awareness and less egocentric thinking. These individuals balance personal interests with others' needs, display emotional equanimity, and are less concerned with external evaluation. They exhibit an agreeable, attentive, and caring interpersonal style, often experiencing profound states like flow, awe, and compassion. This disposition fosters a harmonious life.
Abstract
This chapter examines the cognitive, motivational, emotional, and interpersonal characteristics that distinguish hypo-egoic from egoic individuals ...
Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science
PLoS ONE – November 07, 2018
Summary
A compelling finding reveals the majority of 1120 meditators surveyed report extraordinary experiences, expanding the *field* of *meditation* research beyond traditional clinical effectiveness. While *Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions* have focused on *Behavioral Health*, new avenues explore deeper aspects of *Contemplation* and their implications for *medicine*. This rigorous *data science* approach acknowledges experiences often overlooked, providing critical insights for *mental health* challenges, particularly relevant post-*COVID-19*. Future studies demand careful *engineering ethics* to investigate these phenomena.
Abstract
The science of meditation has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Most studies have focused on evaluating the clinical effectiveness of min...
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
Anesthesia & Analgesia – February 17, 2021
Summary
Michael Pollan's 480-page "How to Change Your Mind" compellingly argues that psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, could revolutionize mental health. Named one of Time's top 100 influential people, Pollan explores their profound impact on consciousness, environmentalism, and counterculture. The book delves into the psychology and sociology of these substances, suggesting drug studies offer a unique "reboot" for conditions where conventional treatments fail, moving beyond traditional psychoanalysis. This engaging work encourages a cautious re-evaluation of psychedelics' therapeutic potential.
Abstract
It is tough to write about psychedelics without a few gratuitous puns. Regardless, Michael Pollan’s “How to Change Your Mind” is definitely “mind e...
Should addiction researchers be interested in psychedelic science?
Drug and Alcohol Review – April 10, 2017
Summary
Psychedelics are revolutionizing addiction psychology. In an open-label drug study, 80% of 15 people treated with psilocybin for tobacco addiction remained abstinent at six months, far exceeding standard pharmacotherapies. A survey of 358 individuals reported 74% abstained for over two years. MDMA, a unique synthetic compound, also shows promise for trauma, with 86% of PTSD patients in an RCT no longer meeting criteria. These findings highlight significant neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, offering new hope for complex addiction and psychological conditions.
Abstract
As recently noted by Strauss, Bright and Williams 1, while much of the Western world has been experiencing a renaissance in research into ‘psychede...
Messiah Drift and the Phenomenology of Psilocybin: Cross-Kingdom Neurotransmitter Interception and Clinical Integration
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) – December 25, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin's profound effects may stem from a surprising **biology** of cross-kingdom **communication**. A compelling **neuroscience** hypothesis posits psilocybin as an intercellular signaling molecule from mycelial networks, activating mammalian 5-HT2A receptors through evolutionary conservation. This **crosstalk** explains the **phenomenological coherence** of psychedelic experiences as self-generated under altered constraints, a key insight for **Cognitive science**. For clinical **Psychedelics and Drug Studies**, a practical five-step anchoring protocol helps facilitators manage archetypal responses, addressing integration challenges with a dual-drift model in **Psychology**.
Abstract
Abstract This paper addresses two critical gaps as legal psilocybin mental health services expand: practical clinical protocols for integration cha...
What can we learn from the history of research on psychedelic drugs in the addictions?
Addiction – August 12, 2021
Summary
Early **psychedelic** **drug** **studies** in the 1950s showed promise for **addiction** treatment. One approach using LSD for alcohol dependence reported 50% of 24 patients greatly or moderately improved, describing profound psychological experiences. However, later, more controlled **drug** trials and a meta-analysis found that while initial benefits occurred up to six months, they did not persist at 12 months. **Psychiatry** and **medicine** must proceed cautiously with these powerful **compounds**, ensuring rigorous clinical trials define their role in **addiction** **psychology** to avoid past mistakes in their therapeutic use.
Abstract
The history of research on the use of psychedelic drugs to treat alcohol dependence in the 1950s and 1960s suggests the need for caution in their p...
Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans
OpenAlex – November 07, 2022
Summary
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent hallucinogen, profoundly alters consciousness, with effects largely plateauing around 100 μg. A meta-analysis in Psychology, utilizing subjective rating scales, reveals strong changes in perception and ego-dissolution. Crucially, minimal effects on Anxiety were observed. These findings from Psychedelics and Drug Studies provide vital dose-response data for clinical psychology, informing how this chemical synthesis product impacts the mind. Understanding these biochemical effects on consciousness offers a foundation for further research, even for social and developmental psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent classic serotonergic psychedelic, which facilitates a variety of altered states of consciousn...
Use of Ayahuasca among Rubber Tappers of the Upper Juruá
Fieldwork in Religion – November 27, 2008
Summary
Ayahuasca has become a powerful symbol of resistance among rubber tappers in the Alto Juruá region, where 70% reported its use as part of their cultural identity. This practice blends Indigenous and non-Indigenous traditions, with many rubber tappers becoming renowned healers. Since the 1980s, ayahuasca rituals have intertwined with political struggles against exploitative bosses, fostering a unique synthesis that includes elements from Santo Daime's religious doctrine. This dynamic reflects broader sociocultural changes and highlights the resilience of local communities in the Brazilian Amazon.
Abstract
The article is the fruit of co-authorship between an anthropologist with long research experience in the area of the Extractivist Reserve of the Al...
Comparing Antidepressant Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Individuals That Were Unmedicated at Initial Screening Versus Individuals Discontinuing Medications for Study Participation: Comparaison des effets antidépresseurs de la psychothérapie assistée par la psilocybine (PAP) chez les personnes non médicamentées à la sélection initiale et les personnes ayant arrêté les médicaments pour participer à l’étude
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry – March 25, 2025
Summary
Patients experiencing major depressive episodes achieved comparable relief from depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, whether they tapered off antidepressants (n=18) or were unmedicated (n=9) when receiving psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. This medicine, a psychedelic alkaloid influencing neurotransmitter receptors, offers a novel approach in psychiatry. A randomized controlled trial involving 27 participants showed a single 25mg psilocybin dose provided clinically significant benefits over two months, impacting clinical psychology and advancing drug studies.
Abstract
Objective: To compare changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidality symptoms after a single 25 mg oral dose of psilocybin between treatment-resis...
Disentangling the acute subjective effects of classic psychedelics from their enduring therapeutic properties.
Psychopharmacology – May 14, 2024
Summary
Groundbreaking neuropsychiatry research reveals that psilocybin and other classic psychedelics may not need to produce intense psychological experiences to be therapeutic. While traditional treatments rely on profound mental journeys, new evidence suggests these compounds can treat depression and addiction by directly rewiring brain circuits through 5-HT2A receptor activation, even without hallucinogenic effects.
Abstract
Recent research with classic psychedelics suggests significant therapeutic potential, particularly for neuropsychiatric disorders. A mediating infl...
Psychedelics, Meaningfulness, and the "Proper Scope" of Medicine: Continuing the Conversation.
Cambridge quarterly of healthcare ethics : CQ : the international journal of healthcare ethics committees – June 27, 2023
Summary
Emerging research reveals that psychedelics' therapeutic benefits may be deeply linked to their consciousness-altering effects. While these substances show promise in treating depression and addiction, debate continues over whether their healing potential requires the profound subjective experiences they typically produce. The key question: Can we separate the medical benefits from the mystical journey?
Abstract
Psychedelics such as psilocybin reliably produce significantly altered states of consciousness with a variety of subjectively experienced effects. ...
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy treatment of chronic pain and comorbid depression: a pilot study of two approaches.
Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) – January 01, 2023
Summary
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAPT) shows promise in treating chronic pain and major depressive disorder (MDD). In a preliminary study with ten participants, all experienced symptom reductions over treatment. Those receiving the psychedelic approach (high doses intramuscularly) reported a more substantial and consistent decrease in symptoms compared to the psycholytic approach (low doses sublingually). Notably, changes were tracked using the Beck Depression Inventory and Brief Pain Inventory, suggesting KAPT could effectively address comorbidities of chronic pain and depression. Further exploration is essential for optimizing treatment strategies.
Abstract
Chronic pain and depression diagnoses are skyrocketing. There is an urgent need for more effective treatments. Ketamine was recently established to...
Human behavioral pharmacology of psychedelics.
Advances in pharmacology (San Diego, Calif.) – January 01, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and DMT have shown remarkable potential in treating challenging conditions. In early phase clinical trials, about 70% of participants with treatment-resistant depression experienced significant symptom relief. These hallucinogens induce unique subjective experiences, often linked to long-term behavioral changes. The importance of set and setting in these experiences cannot be overstated, as they play a crucial role in the therapeutic outcomes. This burgeoning field promises to deepen our understanding of how psychedelics can transform mental health treatment.
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a rapid growth of research on the basic science and clinical understanding of psychedelics. This chapter provides an ...
Modern Clinical Research on LSD
Neuropsychopharmacology – April 27, 2017
Summary
LSD significantly enhances emotional experiences, fostering feelings of closeness and empathy while impairing recognition of sad and fearful faces. In a review of six studies involving 250 participants, LSD's effects included increased brain connectivity and altered perceptions, linked to the 5-HT2A receptor. Notably, patients with anxiety experienced reduced symptoms for up to two months after treatment. Additionally, LSD elevated levels of cortisol and oxytocin, suggesting its potential in therapeutic settings. Overall, these findings highlight LSD's promising role in neuroscience and mental health treatment.
Abstract
All modern clinical studies using the classic hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in healthy subjects or patients in the last 25 years ar...