The Temporal Trajectory of the Psychedelic Mushroom Experience Mimics the Narrative Arc of the Hero’s Journey
Research Square (Research Square) February 23, 2024 Ari Brouwer, Joshua K. Brown, Earth Erowid et al. 5 citations
Psychedelic therapy may work partly because its temporal structure mirrors the narrative arc of the Hero's Journey. A qualitative analysis of self-reported onset (comeup) and offset (comedown) phases of psilocybin experiences found that the comeup is more often characterized by negatively valenced feeling states, while the comedown is more often characterized by positively valenced feeling states resembling recovery from illness or adversity. This trajectory suggests that initially distressing altered states can ultimately resolve distress, offering a framework for understanding the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics.