Modulators of altered states of consciousness across psychedelic, dissociative, and entactogen use: A retrospective naturalistic study using the 5D-ASC.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry January 23, 2026 B Romeo, E Kervadec, B Fauvel et al. 1 citation
The intensity of a psychedelic experience, which is linked to clinical benefits, depends on multiple factors. In an online survey of 804 people, stronger altered states of consciousness were reported when the experience was intended for spiritual, therapeutic, or self-exploratory purposes rather than recreation; when dissociative or serotonergic psychedelics were used instead of entactogens; and with moderate to very high doses compared to very low doses. Age and gender also played a role. The findings suggest that experiential intensity arises from a combination of pharmacological, personal, and contextual elements, and that similarities with mystical experiences may point to a shared neurobiological sensitivity rather than a unique category of experience.