Psychopharmacology
November 29, 2019
Sam G. Moreton, Luke Szalla, Rachel E. Menzies et al.
77 citations
A novel hypothesis proposes that reduced death anxiety may be a key mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Integrating research on psychedelics with existential psychology, the authors review how psychedelics might diminish death anxiety and suggest that recognizing the role of death anxiety in psychopathology could guide future research into psychedelic therapies.
Death Studies
February 2, 2023
Sam G. Moreton, Andrew F. Arena, Yolanda Foy et al.
19 citations
A meaningful psychedelic experience can reduce death anxiety, and that reduction appears to help explain improvements in satisfaction with life, positive affect, and negative affect. In a survey of 201 participants who recalled a meaningful psychedelic experience, reductions in death anxiety mediated the link between mystical experience and these well-being measures, but did not mediate effects of psychological insight. The findings are correlational and do not establish causation, but they suggest that decreased death anxiety may be one mechanism through which psychedelic-induced mystical experiences boost subjective well-being.
Death Studies
January 1, 2025
Sam G. Moreton, Noah N T Barr, Kayla J Giese
14 citations
After a single significant psychedelic experience, people reported an overall reduction in death anxiety, although some individuals reported an increase. This reduction was linked to a stronger belief in panpsychism—the idea that consciousness is fundamental and pervasive in the universe. No other metaphysical beliefs, such as belief in an afterlife or materialism, were associated with the change. The findings suggest that shifts in metaphysical worldview, particularly toward panpsychism, may play a role in how psychedelic experiences alter attitudes about death, pointing to a specific mechanism for future research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 12, 2025
Will Olteanu, Sam G. Moreton
5 citations
Meaningful psychedelic experiences are associated with self-reported increases in moral expansiveness—the broadening of one's circle of moral concern. Changes in moral expansiveness were positively correlated with mystical experiences, ego dissolution, and feelings of being moved and admiration during the experience. Heightened moral expansiveness was also linked to longer-term shifts in the propensity to experience self-transcendent positive emotions such as admiration and awe. The findings suggest that acute subjective effects of psychedelics may play a role in expanding moral concern.
Psychopharmacology
April 21, 2025
Noah N T Barr, Kayla J Giese, Sam G. Moreton
1 citation
A systematic review of 31 studies found largely consistent evidence that psychedelic experiences can change attitudes towards death and reduce death anxiety in both clinical and non-clinical populations. However, significant gaps remain in understanding the role of set and setting, differences across psychedelic substances, underlying psychological mechanisms, the potential for worsening death anxiety, and the influence of expectancy and placebo effects. Less is known about the reliability and strength of these effects, the conditions under which they emerge, and which aspects of the experience best predict them.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
March 9, 2026
Noah N T Barr, Briony Larance, Matthew J. Schweickle et al.
A survey of 106 adults who had a meaningful psychedelic experience found that increases in feelings of connectedness—to oneself, others, and the world—were linked to reduced fear of death and death avoidance. Participants reported these changes when comparing the three months before and after the experience. Greater connectedness in all three domains was associated with less fear of death, but only connectedness to self and others was tied to lower death avoidance. The intensity of the mystical experience was also related to greater connectedness and less fear of death, but not to death avoidance. The authors call for further research to clarify causality and whether these changes reflect adaptive acceptance or denial.
Ecopsychology
September 27, 2022
Katie Newton, Sam G. Moreton
A retrospective online survey of 236 people who had a meaningful psychedelic experience found that acute effects—mystical experiences, ego-dissolution, and self-transcendent positive emotions (STPE)—predicted lasting increases in both dispositional STPE and feelings of connection to nature. Different patterns emerged for cognitive versus emotional components of nature connectedness, with STPE more strongly predicting changes in cognitive connectedness. Exploratory mediation analyses suggested that acute STPE during the experience may lead to day-to-day increases in these emotions, which in turn may help explain why psychedelics can strengthen feelings of connection with the natural world.