Deconstructing Psychedelic Phenomenology: A Thematic Analysis of Discrete Phases of the Psychedelic Experience.

People who discuss psychedelic experiences on online forums describe them in a sequential structure: what happens before, during, and after ingestion. Before the experience, they mention their existing knowledge and perceptions of psychedelics, their intentions and mental preparation, and aids they use to support the experience. During the experience, they report sensory and cognitive distortions, their mindset and emotional state, and the stability and support of their environment. Afterward, they describe how the experience changed their behavior and outlook. The analysis suggests that set and setting should be studied across all three stages, not just the acute phase.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The phenomenology of psychedelic experiences has been a long-standing point of interest to researchers. However, internal experience has been relatively relegated, with much work done on the clinical outcomes of psychedelic therapies. Our reflexive thematic analysis revealed that structurally, people on fora write about their experiences sequentially, considering factors prior to (preparatory), during (acute phase), and after their account of ingesting psychedelics. Themes constructed prior to experience were (1) subjective knowledge and perception of psychedelics, (2) intention and efforts to mentally prepare, and (3) experiential aids. Generated themes during the experience were (1) sensory and cognitive distortions, (2) mindset and affective quality, and (3) environmental stability and support. Experiential impact on behavior and outlook was constructed as the unitary theme following the experience. Future work should look more closely at the role of set and setting within the context of the stages leading up to, during, and after psychedelic administration.