Psychedelic experiences and long-term spiritual growth: a systematic review
Current Psychology July 12, 2024 William A. Schutt, Julie J. Exline, Kathleen C. Pait et al. 25 citations
A systematic review of 34 empirical studies (19,724 participants from 32 independent samples) examined links between psychedelic use and long-term spiritual growth. Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and DMT were studied most often. Findings indicate that psychedelic use is associated with multiple subjective indicators of spiritual growth: stronger perceived connections with the divine, greater sense of meaning, increased spiritual faith, more engagement in religious and spiritual practices, heightened feelings of unity and self-transcendence, positive worldview changes, increased connectedness with others, and reduced fear of death. These facets often co-occurred, and higher ratings of mystical experiences positively correlated with perceived spiritual growth.