People who have used classical psychedelics report greater psychological strengths and well-being, and lower distress, compared to those who have not, even after accounting for demographics, beliefs about psychedelics, and use of other drugs. These benefits contrast with cannabis and alcohol users, who show more maladaptive profiles. The relationship between psychedelic use and psychological strengths is fully explained by self-transcendence. Users with a 'growth' motivation show the most adaptive psychological profile. Psychedelic users also report more lifetime meditation experience, but meditation does not account for the differences in strengths, well-being, or distress. Causality cannot be inferred.
People who use psychedelics report lower symptoms of behavioral addictions such as problem gambling, sexual addiction, compulsive buying, and eating disorders, along with greater well-being, even after accounting for demographics and other drug use. In a community sample of 1107 adults, psychedelic use uniquely predicted lower behavioral addiction scores, while major stimulant, alcohol, and nicotine vaping use predicted higher scores. Behavioral addiction symptoms were inversely correlated with well-being measures. These findings suggest psychedelics may help treat behavioral addictions, warranting a controlled pilot study or clinical trial.
During jazz improvisation, a flow state is linked to reduced frontal brain activity (transient hypofrontality) and, in highly experienced musicians, less activity in the default-mode network's posterior nodes. Less experienced musicians show no such modulation. The findings suggest creative flow reflects optimized, domain-specific processing from extensive practice, paired with diminished cognitive control, rather than broad engagement of task-positive networks.