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.
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.
For people with rheumatoid arthritis, online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) both reduced pain interference more than a waitlist control, with comparable improvements in depression. MBSR was better than CBT for fear of progression after treatment and for functional ability at 6-month follow-up, while CBT alone reduced pain severity at 6-month follow-up. A history of recurrent depression did not affect how well either treatment worked. The effect sizes matched those of face-to-face interventions, confirming both online treatments are effective for rheumatoid arthritis.
Fear of death (death anxiety) is linked to disrupted sleep, but little research has examined its connection to insomnia and nightmares. In an online survey of 515 adults (70% female, 89% in Australia), higher death anxiety was associated with more severe insomnia. Attachment style did not significantly influence this relationship. Nightmare severity acted as a mediator, meaning death anxiety may contribute to insomnia partly through increasing nightmares. The findings suggest that addressing death anxiety could be a useful target for insomnia interventions.
About 22% of adults may have a nightmare disorder severe enough to affect sleep quality. In a survey of 439 adults, disturbing dreams and nightmares predicted poor sleep quality even after accounting for psychological distress like depression and anxiety. Together, nightmares and psychological distress explained 22% of the variation in sleep quality scores. The findings suggest that nightmares independently contribute to poor sleep, not just as a symptom of distress, and should be assessed when evaluating sleep problems.