Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: The mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences
Paweł Orłowski, Anastasia Ruban, Jan Szczypiński, Justyna Hobot, Maksymilian Bielecki, Michał Bola
Journal of Psychopharmacology August 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1177/02698811221089034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,516 |
| Population | Adults with varying histories of psychoactive substance use, including 1661 psychedelics users |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Ego dissolution Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Psychedelics: psychedelic substances Hallucinogens Entheogens Emotional well-being Psychological well-being Therapeutic effects Peak experiences Spiritual experiences Well-being: overall well-being Personal well-being Flourishing Holistic well-being |
| Citations | 40 |
| Key findings | A higher number of lifetime psychedelic uses predicted greater positive and lower negative emotional reactivity, as well as more adaptive self-consciousness, with these relationships mediated by the intensity of past ego-dissolution and mystical experiences. |
Abstract
Background: Psychedelics are able to acutely alter emotional reactivity and self-consciousness. However, whether the regular naturalistic use of psychedelics can be linked to more persistent trait-level changes in these domains remains an open question.
Aim: To test the hypotheses that (1) using psychedelics is related to higher positive and lower negative emotional reactivity; and (2) an adaptive pattern of self-consciousness, including diminished public self-consciousness and rumination, and increased reflection and self-awareness; and (3) these relations are mediated by the intensity of past ego-dissolution and mystical experiences.
Method: An online survey including questions about the history of psychoactive substance use; questionnaires measuring trait levels of emotional reactivity and self-consciousness; questionnaires for retrospective assessment of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences. Data collected from 2516 participants (1661 psychedelics users) were analyzed using robust linear regression and mediation analysis.
Results: A higher number of lifetime uses of psychedelics predicted greater positive and lower negative emotional reactivity; also, in the domain of self-consciousness, it predicted greater reflection and internal state awareness, and reduced rumination tendency and public self-consciousness. Finally, the intensity of past mystical and ego-dissolution experiences mediated almost all the observed relationships between the lifetime number of psychedelics uses and psychological variables.
Conclusions: Lifetime psychedelics use predicts an adaptive pattern of trait-level emotional reactivity and self-consciousness. Ego-dissolution and mystical experiences are essential in understanding the long-lasting psychological effects of psychedelics use. Our findings might potentially explain previous observations of increased well-being in psychedelics users.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on ego dissolution, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linkages between Psychedelics and Meditation in a Population-Based Sample in the United States. American adults | 2023 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 953 |
| Losing the Self in Near-Death Experiences: The Experience of Ego-Dissolution. Near-death experiencers with NDE-C scale total score ≥27/80 | 2021 | Survey | n = 100 |
| Cross-validation of the ego dissolution scale: implications for studying psychedelics. Adults recruited online | 2023 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 527 |
| Phenomenological assessment of psychedelic induced experiences: Translation and validation of the German Challenging Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) and Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) German-speaking adults with psychedelic experiences | 2021 | Cross-sectional psychometric validation study | |
| Embracing change: impermanence acceptance mediates differences in death processing between long-term ayahuasca users and non-users. Ayahuasca veterans and non-users | 2025 | Cross-sectional study | n = 107 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 33
- Lower-dose psycholytic therapy – A neglected approach Frontiers in Psychiatry December 2, 2022
- Psychedelic unselfing: self-transcendence and change of values in psychedelic experiences Frontiers in Psychology June 14, 2023
- Being no one, being One: The role of ego-dissolution and connectedness in the therapeutic effects of psychedelic experience Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 16, 2022
- Mindfulness meditation and psychedelics: potential synergies and commonalities Pharmacological Reports November 6, 2023
- A novel ego dissolution scale: A construct validation study. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2023
and 28 more in the library
Cites 62
- 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 57 more in the library