PLoS ONE
February 21, 2020
Bheatrix Bienemann, Nina Stamato Ruschel, Maria Luiza Pesse Campos et al.
81 citations
Psilocybin, found in psilocybe mushrooms, has low toxicity and addiction risk, but negative outcomes from its use are not well understood. Analyzing 346 self-reports from an online platform using textual analysis software, the study identified four main clusters: thinking distortions, emergencies, perceptual alterations, and substance administration. Bad trips were more frequent among female users and linked to thinking distortions. Using multiple doses in one session or combining psilocybin with other substances was associated with long-term negative outcomes, while single high doses of mushrooms were linked to medical emergencies. These findings can inform harm-reduction efforts.
Current neurology and neuroscience reports
August 1, 2024
Daniel C Mograbi, Rafael Rodrigues, Bheatrix Bienemann et al.
12 citations
Self-awareness—the capacity to make oneself the object of one's own attention—has clinical relevance, and understanding its neurochemical basis may clarify causes of and treatments for psychopathological conditions. This article reviews how psychedelics influence self-awareness by affecting brain networks such as the default-mode and salience networks, and neurotransmitters. Within a predictive-coding framework, it examines effects on interoception, body ownership, agency, metacognition, emotional regulation, and autobiographical memory. Improved emotional regulation and autobiographical memory have been observed with psychedelic use, suggesting changes in higher-order self-awareness, modulated by relaxed priors and enhanced cognitive flexibility. Bodily self-awareness alterations are less consistent, potentially varying with dose, acute versus long-term effects, and clinical conditions.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 19, 2022
Marcio S. C. Longo, Bheatrix Bienemann, Marco Multedo et al.
10 citations
People who currently use ayahuasca/DMT, psilocybe mushrooms, LSD, cannabis, or MDMA/ecstasy score higher on nature relatedness than those who have never used these substances. After accounting for sociodemographic factors, only current and past use of ayahuasca/DMT remained positively associated with nature relatedness. Among those who reported an intention to use psilocybe mushrooms in the future, that intention was also linked to higher nature relatedness. The findings suggest that classic serotonergic psychedelics may have a unique relationship with nature relatedness, but the cross-sectional design cannot establish causation.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
June 28, 2025
Rafael S Rodrigues, Isabel Wießner, Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno et al.
6 citations
Two scales that measure altered states of consciousness—the OAV and the 5D-ASC—were adapted and validated for Brazilian Portuguese through expert review and back-translation. In an online survey of 3762 people recounting their psychedelic experiences, factor analyses confirmed an 11-factor structure for the OAV and a 6-factor structure for the 5D-ASC, both with strong internal consistency (α > 0.76). Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations with the Mystical Experience Questionnaire and Ego Dissolution Inventory. Factor scores differed by substance, setting, and meditation frequency; ayahuasca and DMT experiences produced higher oceanic boundlessness and anxious ego-dissolution scores. The scales show reliable psychometric properties for Brazil, though sample homogeneity and recall bias are limitations.
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
October 18, 2022
Bheatrix Bienemann, Mariana Ridolfi, Marco Multedo et al.
5 citations
A validated scale for measuring ego dissolution demonstrated strong psychometric properties, though its factor structure may differ from the English version. Because validation is an ongoing process, further studies should compare ego dissolution scores across different substances and regions of the country.
Scientific reports
November 10, 2023
Lucas Cruz, Bheatrix Bienemann, Fernanda Palhano-Fontes et al.
3 citations
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew used as an entheogen for centuries, is being investigated as a treatment for clinical disorders. This study analyzed open-ended descriptions from nine people with treatment-resistant depression and twenty healthy controls after their first ayahuasca experience. Using quantitative textual analysis, five clusters emerged: altered consciousness, cognitive changes, somatic alterations, auditory experiences, and visual content. People with depression reported more aversive bodily reactions. The findings align with known psychedelic experience patterns and may guide therapeutic use of ayahuasca.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 22, 2023
Bheatrix Bienemann, Amanda Rocha Barbosa, Lucas Villar Magalhães da Cruz et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin use is growing globally, and recent research shows promise for treating mental disorders. Analyzing 846 public online self-reports with textual analysis software, five clusters emerged describing mental experiences, cognitive processes, somatic experiences, perceptual alterations, and context of administration. The findings reinforce that psilocybin experiences commonly involve somatic and visual changes, feelings of connectedness and oneness with the world, the importance of setting, beneficial mystical experiences, and the phenomenon of ego dissolution. Understanding these circumstances may guide clinical use and harm reduction.