Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT: The mystical experience is a potential psychological mechanism to influence outcome in psychedelic therapy. It includes features such as oceanic boundlessness, ego dissolution, and universal interconnectedness, which have been closely linked to both symptom reduction and improved quality of life. In this review, 12 studies of psychedelic therapy utilizing psilocybin, ayahuasca, or ketamine were analyzed for association between mystical experience and symptom reduction, in areas as diverse as cancer-related distress, substance use disorder, and depressive disorders to include treatment-resistant. Ten of the twelve established a significant association of correlation, mediation, and/or prediction. A majority of the studies are limited, however, by their small sample size and lack of diversit

SUBMITTER: Ko K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9340494 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature