Psychedelic Experiences and Mindfulness are Associated with Improved Wellbeing.

People who both meditate and use psychedelics recreationally report greater wellbeing, and the effect is partly explained by mystical experiences. In a survey of 1,219 individuals who engage in both practices, higher levels of mindfulness and more intense mystical experiences were each linked to substantially higher wellbeing. Psychedelic use itself strengthened the connection between mystical experience and wellbeing, acting as a moderator. These findings are among the first to show a strong, naturalistic link between personal meditation, recreational psychedelic use, and psychological wellbeing.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Both psychedelics and mindfulness are recently emerging topics of interest in academia and popular culture. The Prevalence of personal meditation practices and recreational psychedelic use has consistently increased in the past decade. While clinical work has shown both to improve long-term wellbeing, data on naturalistic applications of psychedelics and mindfulness are lacking. The current study examined the relationship between psychedelic use, mindfulness, and multi-faceted wellbeing as an outcome. Hierarchical regression was used to quantify these associations on a sample of people (N = 1,219) who engage in both meditation practices and psychedelic use. Results show that both mindfulness and mystical experiences are associated with substantial increases in wellbeing. Psychedelics were found to be a moderator of the relationship between mystical experience wellbeing. These data are among the first to establish a strong relationship between personal mindfulness practice, recreational psychedelic use, and overall psychological wellbeing in a naturalistic framework.