Psychoactives
April 16, 2024
Daniel Meling, Rebecca Ehrenkranz, Sandeep M. Nayak et al.
26 citations
Psychedelic research has returned after a period of suppression, but media coverage now often overstates benefits as much as it once overstated risks. The actual evidence is more mixed than commonly portrayed, so conclusions about effectiveness remain preliminary. Poor communication may mislead patients and misinform policy. This article reviews studies on psychedelics for depression, noting that effect sizes for other depression treatments—cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, SSRIs, and ketamine—have decreased over time as trials improved. The authors suggest the same may happen for psychedelics: larger, better-controlled trials will likely show smaller, more realistic benefits. Clear communication is essential to set public expectations and guide policy.
Mindfulness
August 1, 2024
Aviva Berkovich‐ohana, Kirk Warren Brown, Shaun Gallagher et al.
22 citations
A selfless state of consciousness, reported for centuries in wisdom traditions, involves both temporary and lasting conditions. In psychology, the healthy self is typically emphasized, and the idea of selfless modes is sometimes dismissed, hindering empirical progress. This paper offers an interdisciplinary conceptual discussion grounded in the pattern theory of self (PTS), which views the self as a complex pattern of dynamically related processes. It proposes that meditative practices induce a reorganization of the self-pattern, enabling temporary or persistent selfless experience. The authors present a heuristic model, the pattern theory of selflessness (PTSL), with six nonlinear transformations: consolidating and integrating the self-pattern; cultivating concentration and present-moment awareness; cultivating mindful awareness; self-deconstruction states; self-flexibility; and self-liberation as a trait. This integrative view advances understanding of non-self experience and guides empirical research.
Mindfulness
August 1, 2024
Stefan Schmidt, Prisca R. Bauer, Fynn-Mathis Trautwein
4 citations
Integrating first-person reports with standard cognitive experiments can bridge the gap between subjective experience and neuroscientific accounts. Using the Libet task on voluntary action, where a readiness potential precedes a participant's self-timed movement, the authors propose a neurophenomenological approach that combines three methods: adapting the Libet paradigm, employing micro-phenomenological interviews, and collaborating with experienced meditators. This framework aims to develop a more coherent account of volitional action, challenging the notion that decisions are predetermined by brain processes alone. The approach suggests meditation enhances self-regulation and self-determination, leading to more deliberate decisions and ethical behavior.
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
November 6, 2025
Helena Hruby, Marc Wittmann, Stefan Schmidt et al.
Most people who float in a sensory isolation tank go through four distinct phases during a 60-minute session: acclimatization, a transitional phase, an altered state of consciousness (ASC), and finally reorientation. The ASC phase is marked by positive emotions, deep relaxation, loss of orientation in space and time, and reduced bodily sensations and thoughts. These characteristics emerge gradually and intensify over time. The findings suggest that the therapeutic benefits of Floatation-REST for mental health conditions may be linked to the experience of these altered states.