Study Suggests Hallucinogen May Be Personality Changer

Taking the hallucinogen psilocybin may boost positive feelings like bliss or a sense of oneness with the universe, but the authors question whether these feelings amount to genuine mystical experience or spiritual growth. The work examines the distinction between drug-induced altered states and authentic spiritual or mystical development, suggesting that the subjective experiences produced by psilocybin might not reflect true spiritual progress.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Even if ingesting the hallucinogen psilocybin can increase positive feelings of bliss or oneness with the universe, it is questionable whether such feelings represent authentic mystical experience or spiritual growth.