Journal of Psychedelic Studies
December 15, 2021
Malin V. Uthaug, Natasha L. Mason, Martha N. Havenith et al.
15 citations
A naturalistic observational study of 58 Czech-speaking adults found that a single session of Holotropic Breathwork (a breathing technique intended to produce altered states of consciousness) was associated with lasting improvements in non-judgment, satisfaction with life, and reductions in stress-related symptoms. Although participants reported only low levels of psychedelic-like experience (averaging 0–34% on a 100% scale), the increase in non-judgment appeared sub-acutely and persisted for four weeks. Satisfaction with life increased and stress symptoms decreased at the four-week follow-up.
Commun Psychol
April 13, 2025
Martha N. Havenith, Max Leidenberger, Jelena Brasanac et al.
14 citations
Altered states of consciousness (ASCs) similar to those induced by psychedelics can be achieved through circular breathwork, a non-pharmacological practice. During breathwork sessions, deliberate hyperventilation reduces end-tidal CO2 pressure, which is significantly correlated with the onset of ASCs. The depth of these ASCs predicted subsequent improvements in well-being and reductions in depressive symptoms. Two forms of breathwork, Holotropic and Conscious-Connected, produced highly similar outcomes. The findings identify physiological conditions for ASCs outside of drug use, suggesting breathwork's potential as an accessible psychotherapeutic tool.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
January 14, 2026
Muad Y. Abd El Hay, Ana Cukić, Marieke L. Schölvinck et al.
preprint
Psychedelic substances show promise for treating psychiatric disorders, but their therapeutic mechanisms remain poorly understood. A review of 266 rodent studies from 2014 to 2026 finds systematic disconnects between animal research and human therapy conditions. Most studies contain stress-inducing factors: only 14% reported active-phase testing, 7% environmental enrichment, and 21% refined handling; drug administration almost universally used stress-inducing methods. Behavioral assays rely on brief, constrained testing with isolated markers that fail to capture the multidimensional nature of psychedelic states. The authors argue that improving translation requires a shift from brief testing of stressed, isolated animals toward longitudinal tracking of individuals in enriched social environments.