Spirituality and religiosity can influence mental health treatment, and neuroimaging advances, particularly studies of the brain's default mode network (DMN), offer insight into this link. The DMN is involved in cognitive and emotional processes, and its alterations may help explain how spirituality affects mental disorders. The article discusses spiritual and non-spiritual meditation, as well as psychedelic-induced spiritual experiences in psychiatry and their associated brain networks, to highlight both the potential and the limitations of incorporating spirituality into psychiatric care.
Mental healthcare professionals generally hold cautiously optimistic views about psychedelic-assisted therapy for substance use disorder, though a minority express hesitancy due to concerns about safety, efficacy, and practical integration challenges. A systematic review of six studies with 966 participants found that greater knowledge and familiarity with psychedelic-assisted therapy predict more positive attitudes. The limited knowledge among professionals highlights a need for targeted education and training to support the responsible integration of this treatment into clinical care.