A Quantitative and Qualitative Report of Psilocybin Induced Mystical-Type Experiences and Their Relation to Lasting Positive Effects
Drummond E-Wen Mcculloch, Maria Zofia Grzywacz, M. Madsen, P.s. Jensen, Brice Ozenne, Sophia Armand, Gitte M. Knudsen, Patrick M. Fisher, Dea Siggard Stenbæk
December 14, 2021 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/xqzu2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Qualitative |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Healthy volunteers |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Dose | medium-high doses |
| Duration | Three-month follow-up |
| Topics | Psilocybin Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Clinical psychology Mood Qualitative research Developmental psychology Hallucinogen Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | The intensity of mystical experience during psilocybin sessions, particularly the Positive Mood and Mysticality components, predicts positive persisting effects three months later. |
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin are under investigation for the treatment of several psychiatric conditions. They also have the remarkable property of producing persisting positive psychological changes in healthy volunteers for at least several months. In this study, 35 medium-high doses of psilocybin were administered to 28 healthy volunteers (12 females). By the end of the dosing day, participants reported the intensity of their acute experience using the 30-item Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ) and an open-form qualitative report from home. Persisting psychological effects attributed to the psilocybin experience were measured using the Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ) three-months after administration. Using a linear latent-variable model we show that the MEQ total score is positively associated with the later emergence of positive PEQ effects (p = 3x10-5). Moreover, the MEQ subscales “Positive Mood” (pcorr = 4.1x10-4) and “Mysticality” (pcorr = 2.0x10-4) are associated with positive PEQ whereas the subscales “Transcendence of Time and Space” (pcorr = 0.38) and “Ineffability” (pcorr = 0.45) are not. Using natural language pre-processing, we provide the first qualitative descriptions of the “Complete Mystical Experience” induced by orally administered psilocybin in healthy volunteers, revealing themes such as a sense of connection with the universe, familial love, and the experience of profound beauty. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper expands understanding of the acute psilocybin induced experience in healthy volunteers and suggests an importance of the type of experience in predicting lasting positive effects.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Carmelite nuns | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| EEG activity in Carmelite nuns during a mystical experience Carmelite nuns | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
| Neural correlates of mystical experience Vietnam veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injury and matched healthy controls | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 148 |
| The Peak Experience Variable in DPT-Assisted Psychotherapy with Cancer Patients Cancer patients | 1977 | Observational study | n = 128 |
| Psilocybin-Induced Mystical-Type Experiences are Related to Persisting Positive Effects: A Quantitative and Qualitative Report Healthy volunteers | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 28 |
Citations in the library
Cites 61
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
and 56 more in the library