Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Meditative Experience as Factors of Personal Change
Nadiia Omelchenko, Anton Kurapov
Bulletin of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Psychology 2023 DOI: 10.17721/bpsy.2023.1(17).8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Combined quantitative and qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | People with experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy, meditation, both, or neither |
| Interventions | Psychedelic-assisted therapy Meditation |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Clinical psychology Psychotherapist Mental health Depression economics Population Exposure therapy |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Meditation and psilocybin-assisted therapy reduce anxiety and increase self-awareness, with the combination yielding lower anxiety and higher self-awareness than meditation alone. |
Abstract
Background. As a result of the military attack in Ukraine, both the military and civilian population are facing mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. Classical psychotherapy and psychiatry are often ineffective in treating these conditions. In the United States and Europe, a significant amount of research is being conducted on psychedelic-assisted therapy and its potential psychotherapeutic impact on the treatment of depression and PTSD, especially in cases where traditional treatments are not effec¬tive. Given this, it may be extremely beneficial for Ukraine to consider an alternative treatment for PTSD and depression, such as psychedelic- assisted therapy. Our study emphasizes the importance and relevance of this issue. Goal. To reveal the features of psychedelic-assisted therapy and meditative experience as factors of personal changes, such as anxiety level, subjective well-being, overall life satisfaction, and self-awareness. Methods. The design of this study is combined: it includes quantitative and qualitative methods. The independent variables were experience in psychedelic-assisted therapy, experience in meditation, and experience in both practices; the dependent variables were anxiety, subjective well-being, general life satisfaction, and self-awareness. The total sample was 33 people. Results. Meditation and psilocybin therapy improve the emotional state and psychological well-being of the subjects, in particular, they promote focus, inner peace, self-awareness, reduction of anxiety and depression, as well as self-knowledge and self-development. Conclusions. Meditation and participation in PAT reduce anxiety. Respondents who meditated and participated in PAT had lower levels of anxiety compared to other groups. Participation in PAT increased the level of subjective well-being the most. Participation in PAT and meditation increase self-awareness. Respondents who engaged in these practices had a higher level of self-awareness compared to the group that only meditated. Respondents assess the effectiveness of the therapy as high and sustainable. They note significant changes in their lives, such as relief of depression symptoms, improved cognitive function, changes in attitudes toward themselves and others, and increased energy and decision-making ability. Thus, participation in PAT and meditation is advisable for people who have low levels of self-awareness and subjective well-being and want to increase them, and high levels of anxiety and depression and want to decrease them.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression enrolled in an open-label trial of psilocybin | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 20 |
| LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis | n = 10 |
| Patient Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Adults aged 22 to 69 with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 13 |
| Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts Participants who completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study | 2018 | Qualitative follow-up study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis | n = 12 |
| The hidden therapist: evidence for a central role of music in psychedelic therapy Patients undergoing psychedelic therapy with psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cites 20
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Psychopharmacology March 8, 2012
- 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans, firefighters, and police officers: a randomised, double-blind, dose-response, phase 2 clinical trial. The Lancet Psychiatry May 1, 2018
- Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology March 12, 2020
- Direct comparison of the acute effects of lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects Neuropsychopharmacology February 25, 2022
- Therapeutic mechanisms of psilocybin: Changes in amygdala and prefrontal functional connectivity during emotional processing after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression Journal of Psychopharmacology January 16, 2020
and 15 more in the library