Mindfulness meditation and psychedelics: potential synergies and commonalities
Pharmacological Reports November 6, 2023 Paweł Holas, Justyna Kamińska 39 citations
Psychedelic and meditation-based interventions show overlapping neurophysiological and phenomenological features and can enhance each other when combined. Both approaches have been validated as alternative treatments for depression, addictions, and anxiety disorders, producing moderate to large effects and long-term symptom reduction and well-being improvements in clinical and healthy populations. Shared mechanisms include altered self-consciousness, present-moment awareness, and antidepressant action via neuromodulation. Research indicates synergistic benefits when the two are used together, but more theoretical and methodologically rigorous studies are needed before clinical application. This review discusses the theoretical rationale for combining psychedelics with mindfulness training, including the predictive coding framework, and offers suggestions for integration.