PLOS mental health
2026
Sajama Nepali
Spirituality has long been recognized as a fundamental dimension of human health and well-being, yet its integration into mental health frameworks remains limited. This essay explores how spirituality is experienced as a coping resource for mental well-being, highlighting mechanisms through which spiritual and religious practices support emotional regulation, resilience, and a sense of purpose....
PLOS mental health
December 26, 2025
Sahba Afsharnia, Vivian Liang, Yona Lunsky et al.
1 citation
Psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA have shown promise in treating mental health conditions (e.g., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder) among neurotypical individuals, i.e., typically developing individuals without a diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition. However, their therapeutic potential for treating co-occurring mental-health conditions in autistic individuals remains...
PLOS mental health
April 2, 2025
Marta Stuart, Ian Stefanuk, Rebecca Comeau et al.
1 citation
Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist, long used for its anesthetic and pain reducing properties, but has more recently demonstrated efficacy for treating depression. Evidence is also emerging for other psychiatric indications including posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, and to support psychotherapy. In this context, there is greater demand for...
PLOS mental health
March 12, 2025
Ninette Simonian, Micah Alan Johnson, Caitlin Lynch et al.
The MindGym, a novel immersive technology utilizing a reflective chamber environment, was developed to create standardized experiential content, including anxiolytic experiences. This study examined whether therapeutic experiences originally created in the MindGym could maintain their efficacy when delivered via 360-degree recordings through virtual reality (VR) headsets. A randomized...
PLOS mental health
2025
Óscar Andión, José Carlos Bouso, Jerome Sarris et al.
1 citation
Ayahuasca is a decoction native to the Amazon, where it plays a central role in the traditional medicine of many local cultures and has expanded internationally over the last decades. Ayahuasca has also attracted the interest of scientists for its potential benefits on mental health, but its adverse effects are under-researched. We analyzed data from the Global Ayahuasca Survey, including...
PLOS mental health
2025
Luna Berg Pedersen, Nanna Bjerg Ramsdal, Lone Overby Fjorback et al.
Mental disorders are commonly encountered in pregnancy complications, and women with a preconception history of mental disorders or other psychosocial vulnerabilities are at increased risk. Mental disorders, such as depression, can persist postnatal and adversely affect mother-infant bonding and infant development. Consequently, it is important to address prenatal mental health. The aim of this...
PLOS mental health
2024
Leonardo Christov-Moore, Félix Schoeller, Caitlin Lynch et al.
11 citations
Self-transcendence (ST) is a state of consciousness associated with feelings of ego-dissolution, connectedness, and moral elevation, which mediates well-being, meaning-making, and prosociality. Conventional paths to ST, like religious practice, meditation, and psychedelics, pose nontrivial barriers to entry, limiting ST's study and application. Aesthetic chills (henceforth "chills") are a...