A validated scale for measuring ego dissolution demonstrated strong psychometric properties, though its factor structure may differ from the English version. Because validation is an ongoing process, further studies should compare ego dissolution scores across different substances and regions of the country.
Psilocybin use is growing globally, and recent research shows promise for treating mental disorders. Analyzing 846 public online self-reports with textual analysis software, five clusters emerged describing mental experiences, cognitive processes, somatic experiences, perceptual alterations, and context of administration. The findings reinforce that psilocybin experiences commonly involve somatic and visual changes, feelings of connectedness and oneness with the world, the importance of setting, beneficial mystical experiences, and the phenomenon of ego dissolution. Understanding these circumstances may guide clinical use and harm reduction.
Ayahuasca, a psychoactive infusion used as an entheogen for centuries, shows promise for treating certain clinical disorders. Despite growing scientific literature on its effects, few studies examine subjective experiences of ayahuasca-naïve users. This dissertation's first study assessed subjective experiences of naïve individuals, including those with depression and healthy controls, after ayahuasca consumption. The second study evaluated how prior ayahuasca experience affects health outcomes, beliefs, and cognitive factors by comparing naïve, low/moderate-experience, and high-experience users who consumed ayahuasca in naturalistic settings.
First-time ayahuasca users with treatment-resistant depression and healthy controls described their subjective experiences in open-ended questions. Textual analysis of responses from nine depressed and 20 healthy individuals revealed five clusters: altered consciousness, cognitive changes, somatic alterations, auditory experiences, and visual perceptual content. Depressed participants reported more aversive bodily reactions, suggesting specific experiential features in depression. The results align with prior psychedelic research and may guide therapeutic applications of ayahuasca.