Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
2 papers in the library · 23 citations · publishing 2024-2025
Classic psychedelics carry both greater acute challenging effects and persisting negative effects compared to cannabis, but also produce greater positive acute and persisting effects. In two studies using quota-based sampling to approximate US Census demographics, participants reported on their first or most memorable experiences with either substance. Predictors of psychedelic outcomes—such as dose level, presence of others, religiosity, and personality—explained only a small degree of the variation. The findings offer a more nuanced characterization of the risks and benefits of psychedelic experiences relative to cannabis.
This review discusses how psychedelics produce acute subjective effects, including positive emotions such as awe and joy, and outlines the science of positive emotions. Despite a rich literature on distinct emotions and their different correlates and consequences, distinct emotions in psychedelic science remain understudied. Understanding the role of specific positive emotions in psychedelic experiences could help clarify the connection between the acute subjective effects of psychedelics and their therapeutic outcomes, such as decreased depression, anxiety, and substance misuse.