Exploring the role of psychedelic-assisted therapy in enhancing spirituality and mystical experiences in patients with life-threatening illnesses: A systematic review.
Journal of psychosomatic research February 1, 2025 Ana Esteves Ferreira, Paulo Reis-Pina 3 citations
A systematic review of six studies involving 140 patients, most with cancer, found that psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly with psilocybin, enhances spirituality, mystical experiences, and spiritual well-being in people with life-threatening illnesses. Spiritual well-being improved in all studies that measured it, and mystical experiences were linked to spiritual gains in one study. The evidence comes from studies with a high risk of bias, all conducted in the United States. The review highlights the potential of this therapy to address unmet spiritual needs in palliative care, but calls for more research on how it works and how clinicians can safely guide patients through treatment.