Combining Psychedelic and Mindfulness Interventions: Synergies to Inform Clinical Practice.
Jake Payne, Richard Chambers, Paul Liknaitzky
ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci March 16, 2021 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Perspective Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psychedelic treatments Mindfulness interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Awareness Presence Contemplation Introspection Emotional regulation Psychedelics Entheogens Hallucinogens Psychedelic substances Psychoactive drugs Healing Clinical applications Mental health Well-being Psychological treatment Psychotherapy Therapeutic outcomes Assimilation Processing Synthesis Incorporation Insight integration Insights |
| Citations | 80 |
| Key points | Proposes that psychedelic treatments may serve as a 'Compass' initiating mindfulness practice, and mindfulness interventions as a 'Vehicle' integrating and maintaining psychedelic insights. |
Abstract
Psychedelic and mindfulness interventions have been shown to improve mental ill-health and wellbeing, with a range of clinical processes and effects in common. However, each appear to contain specific challenges in the context of mental health treatment. In this Perspective, we focus on a set of distinct affordances, "useful differences", within psychedelic and mindfulness interventions that might address common challenges within the other intervention. Accordingly, we propose a set of applied synergies, indicating specific ways in which these two promising interventions might be combined for greater benefit. Metaphorically, on the journey toward mental health and wellbeing, we propose that psychedelic treatments may serve the role of Compass (initiating, motivating, and steering the course of mindfulness practice), with mindfulness interventions serving the role of Vehicle (integrating, deepening, generalizing, and maintaining the novel perspectives and motivation instigated by psychedelic experience). We outline a set of testable hypotheses and future research associated with the synergistic action of psychedelic and mindfulness interventions toward improved clinical outcomes.