Aesthetic chills—pleasurable, cold sensations—are linked to self-transcendence, a state of ego-dissolution and connectedness that promotes well-being and prosociality. In a diverse sample of 2937 participants in Southern California exposed to chills-eliciting stimuli, both the likelihood and intensity of chills were positively associated with measures of self-transcendence, even after accounting for demographics, traits, and prior mood. Analyses of variance, mutual information, and correlation structure confirmed reliable interrelations across various audiovisual stimuli. The findings suggest aesthetic chills may indicate sufficiently intense feelings of self-transcendence, though generalizability to non-WEIRD populations and causal direction require further study.
Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian decoction, is being studied for mental health benefits, but its adverse effects are not well understood. An analysis of 10,836 participants from the Global Ayahuasca Survey found that 14.2% had a prior anxiety disorder and 19.7% a depressive disorder, yet their median mental health score (SF-12) was 50.16, comparable to the general population. A history of anxiety or depression was linked to more adverse mental states after use. However, experiences like visual distortions and higher ayahuasca use correlated with better mental health. Women reported more adverse states but no worsened mental health.