Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: The mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences
In a survey of 2,516 participants, greater lifetime naturalistic use of psychedelics predicted higher trait positive and lower negative emotional reactivity, increased reflective/internal self-awareness, and reduced rumination and public self-consciousness. These associations were largely mediated by the intensity of past ego-dissolution and mystical experiences, suggesting such acute experiences underpin long-lasting adaptive changes.
Authors
- Paweł Orłowski
- Michał Bola
Published
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.
Research Summary of 'Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: The mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences'
Introduction
Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT act primarily via 5-HT2A receptor activation and produce robust acute changes in perception, emotion and cognition. Prior work has shown that even single experimental or therapeutic doses can produce lasting improvements in well-being, reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms, and personality changes such as increased openness. At the same time, naturalistic use of psychedelics may produce different outcomes than controlled clinical administration and can be associated both with reported benefits and with a minority of prolonged adverse reactions. Whether repeated, naturalistic use is related to persistent, trait-level differences in emotional reactivity and modes of self-consciousness remains unclear. Orłowski and colleagues used a large online cross-sectional survey to test three linked hypotheses. First, they predicted that greater lifetime use of psychedelics would be associated with higher trait positive emotional reactivity and lower trait negative emotional reactivity. Second, they expected more frequent use to relate to a more adaptive pattern of self-consciousness, operationalised as lower public self-consciousness and rumination but higher reflective thinking and internal state awareness. Third, the investigators hypothesised that retrospective reports of the intensity of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences would mediate the relationships between lifetime psychedelics use and the psychological outcomes of interest. The study therefore aimed to examine persistent individual-differences correlates of naturalistic psychedelic use and the possible mediating role of core subjective aspects of psychedelic experiences.
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Orłowski, P., Ruban, A., Szczypiński, J., Hobot, J., Bielecki, M., & Bola, M. (2022). Naturalistic use of psychedelics is related to emotional reactivity and self-consciousness: The mediating role of ego-dissolution and mystical experiences. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 36(8), 987-1000. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221089034
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