Among 739 medical students surveyed in Poland and Iraq, Polish students reported much higher psychedelic use (21.6%) than Iraqi students (1.2%). Factors associated with increased use included lacking a committed religious belief system, perceiving low risk from sporadic use, residing in Poland, positive attitudes toward psychedelics, frequent social nightlife, male gender, and cigarette smoking. The findings suggest that cultural, religious, and social factors strongly influence psychedelic awareness and use, highlighting the need for culturally sensitive prevention efforts.
Mindfulness- and self-compassion-based interventions reduce psychological distress in university students, with the strongest benefits seen for programs that include both mindfulness and self-compassion components. The analysis synthesizes data from multiple studies to identify which intervention features predict better outcomes, such as longer program duration and instructor experience. The findings support the use of these interventions in university settings to support student mental health.
Devotional worship practices involving music are associated with measurable changes in heart rate and respiration rate, suggesting a physiological foundation for religious experiences. The analysis indicates that specific patterns of autonomic arousal accompany such practices, potentially linking subjective spiritual feelings to bodily states.