Therapeutic potential of spirituality and mystical experiences in the treatment of substance use disorders.
Alberto Dubbini, Jacques Mabit, Matteo Politi
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review |
|---|---|
| Topics | Breathwork Meditation Addiction Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Spirituality Spiritual engagement Mystical experiences Spiritual traditions Spiritual healing Spiritual practices Addiction recovery Substance use disorders Addiction treatment Recovery from addiction Healing from addiction Integrative therapy Complementary therapies Holistic healing Spiritual therapy |
| Key findings | Spirituality is a key factor in addiction treatment, and several CAM practices with spiritual connotations show promising potential for treating substance use disorders. |
Abstract
Objetivo. Este artículo tiene como objetivo ofrecer una descripción general del papel de la espiritualidad, de la fe y de las experiencias místicas en el tratamiento de los trastornos por uso de sustancias (TUS) presentando el caso de la comunidad terapéutica Takiwasi, donde se utilizan plantas psicoactivas, y considerando otras terapias pertenecientes a las medicinas complementarias y alternativas (MCA) que derivan de o tienen conexión con prácticas religiosas o espirituales. Metodología. La investigación se ha basado en la revisión de la literatura científica y gris y en una entrevista realizada con el presidente y fundador del Centro Takiwasi. Resultados y discusión. El sinergismo entre la espiritualidad cristiana y amazónica parece relevante dentro del protocolo Takiwasi. La literatura pone en evidencia el uso de MCA, incluyendo Mindfulness, Respiración Holotrópica y Yoga. Conclusión. La experiencia clínica muestra que la espiritualidad es un factor clave que se debe tener en cuenta en el tratamiento de la adicción y varias prácticas de MCA con connotaciones espirituales muestran un potencial prometedor para el tratamiento de los TUS.Objective. This article aims to give an overview on the role of spirituality, faith and mystical experiences in the treatment of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) by presenting the case of the therapeutic community Takiwasi, where psychoactive plants are used, and by considering other Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies that are derived from or have connection with religious or spiritual practices. Methodology. The research has been based on the review of scientific and grey literature and on an interview performed with the president and founder of Takiwasi. Results and discussion. Synergism between Christian and Amazonian spirituality appears relevant within the Takiwasi protocol. The use of CAM including Mindfulness, Holotropic Breathwork and Yoga emerge from the literature. Conclusions. Clinical experience show that spirituality is a key factor to be taken into account when considering addiction treatment and several CAM practices with spiritual connotations show promising potential for the treatment of SUDs
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 |