Peak Experiences Matter
Danielle Leonard, Thomas R. Brooks
Journal of Humanistic Psychology April 9, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/00221678251330066 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mystical experience |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | The strength of peak and mystical experiences is directly correlated with positive, long-lasting psychological outcomes in psychedelic psychotherapy for depression, cancer-related distress, and substance use disorders. |
Abstract
Peak and mystical experiences can be seen as states of consciousness that exist on a spectrum of varying intensity and duration. They are often described as moments of profound joy, ecstasy, and awe that involve feelings of noetic quality, decreased self-salience, and heightened interconnectedness. The renewed interest in psychedelics as a potential tool for therapeutic intervention has been driven by early observations on the role of peak experiences in promoting well-being and healing. Numerous studies have shown a direct correlation between the strength of peak and mystical experiences and positive, long-lasting psychological outcomes achieved with psychedelic psychotherapy across a range of mental health conditions, including depression, cancer-related distress, and substance use disorders. The mechanisms underlying this effect involve complex neurobiological changes, particularly in brain regions associated with self-referential processing and consciousness. However, the potential medicalization of psychedelic-assisted therapy raises critical questions about the ability to commodify these transformative states. This prompts a reevaluation of the important role of peak and mystical experiences in psychedelic therapy and underscores their importance in achieving the therapeutic benefits attained through this emerging approach. As a result, further exploration of non-pharmacological means of inducing profound states for therapeutic benefit is warranted.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Classic Hallucinogens and Mystical Experiences: Phenomenology and Neural Correlates. | 2018 | Review | |
| Peak experiences and the afterglow phenomenon: When and how do therapeutic effects of hallucinogens depend on psychedelic experiences? | 2015 | Review | |
| Are “mystical experiences” essential for antidepressant actions of ketamine and the classic psychedelics? | 2024 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Mystical Experience: A New Agenda for Theology | 2022 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 51
- 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
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
and 46 more in the library