Psychedelic Art and Implications for Mental Health: Randomized Pilot Study.
JMIR formative research December 3, 2024 Mary L Peng, Joan Monin, Polina Ovchinnikova et al. 4 citations
Viewing psychedelic art—vibrant, distorted, and patterned imagery—produced a greater intensity and variety of emotional, mental, and physical effects than viewing natural scenery. In a pilot trial, 102 participants aged 18 to 35 were randomly assigned to watch either 300 seconds of psychedelic art or 300 seconds of scenic imagery. Qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses showed that psychedelic art evoked relaxation, peace, anxiety relief, joy, euphoria, awe, a hypnotizing and meditative effect, creative thoughts, heightened bodily awareness, and sometimes initial overstimulation that shifted to calmness. These preliminary findings suggest psychedelic art may support healing and well-being, with potential applications in mental health care and digital health tools.