Psychedelics and the ‘inner healer’: Myth or mechanism?

Background: Reference to an intrinsic healing mechanism or an ‘inner healer’ is commonplace amongst psychedelic drug-using cultures. The ‘inner healer’ refers to the belief that psychedelic compounds, plants or concoctions have an intrinsically regenerative action on the mind and brain, analogous to intrinsic healing mechanisms within the physical body, for example, after sickness or injury.

Aims: Here, we sought to test and critique this idea by devising a single subjective rating item pertaining to perceived ‘inner healing’ effects.

Methods: The item was issued to 59 patients after a single high (25 mg, n = 30) or ‘placebo’ (1 mg, n = 29) dose of psilocybin in a double-blind randomised controlled trial of psilocybin for depression.

Results: Inner healer scores were higher after the high versus placebo dose of psilocybin ( t = 3.88, p < 0.001). Within the high-dose sub-sample only, inner healer scores predicted improved depressive symptomatology at 2 weeks post-dosing.

Conclusions: The principle of activating inner healing mechanisms via psychedelics is scientifically nascent; however, this study takes a positivist and pragmatic step forward, asking whether it warrants further examination.