A recent study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that for those who had used psychedelics in the past, even one dose can result in lasting belief changes about the supernatural or non-physical world. Specifically, the findings revealed significant increases in beliefs related to mind-body dualism, paranormal or spiritual phenomena, and consciousness. These findings provide further evidence of the consequences of psychedelic use and its potential as a therapeutic intervention.
The use of psychedelic substances is often connected to beliefs about the supernatural or non-physical world. Cultures have interpreted psychedelic experiences in various ways, including communicating with ancestors, warding off illness-causing spirits, and gaining insights about the future. Contemporary studies indicate that taking psychedelics can lead to experiences of spirituality and changes in supernatural beliefs.
Studies have shown that psilocybin can cause immediate mystical experiences and long-lasting improvements in an individual’s spirituality. However, despite the increasing attention given to researching this topic, a limited number of studies have tackled the specific types of beliefs that are influenced by the use of psychedelics.
The research team recruited 1,874 participants who reported experiences with one of the commonly used psychedelics, including LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, or ayahuasca. Participants responded to a survey that covered various aspects such as demographic details, use of psychedelic substances, personality traits, and scientific knowledge and attitudes. The majority of the questions in the survey were aimed at understanding the impact of a single psychedelic experience on an individual’s beliefs.
The findings indicated that a single psychedelic experience could result in specific and significant changes in a person’s beliefs. Factor analysis of participants’ responses determined that the belief changes fell into five categories:
- Dualism — (a philosophical position that the mind and body are separable).
- Paranormal/Spirituality (beliefs including the existence of telepathy, disembodied spirits and existence of self after death, communication with the dead, reincarnation and whether some people can predict the future or move objects with their mind).
- Nonmammal Consciousness (whether insects, trees and rocks are capable of having a conscious experience).
- Mammal Consciousness (nonmammal and mammal consciousness and whether these are “capable of having conscious experience”).
- Superstition (beliefs that breaking mirrors, the number 13 and black cats bring bad luck, etc).
Participants experienced an increase in all categories of beliefs, except superstitious beliefs, following an experience with psychedelics.
“Up to this point we have undertheorized and underemphasized psychedelic-induced belief changes,” Sandeep Nayak, lead investigator and assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release. “Guardrails against certain belief changes in clinical use are important, but the extent to which such nonnaturalistic beliefs may be therapeutic is unclear. There’s much more to learn here.”
Demographic variables were not found to impact the type of belief changes. The changes remained consistent over time, even when assessed an average of 8.4 years after the experience. The study revealed that most participants reported that their fundamental understanding of reality had been altered, and there was an increase in the number of participants who identified as “believers.”
The research team proposes three additional elements that may influence the direction of changes in beliefs: the cultural environment and expectations, the revelation of underlying cognitive prejudices, and experiential education through powerful personal experiences that promote non-physicalism. The significance of context and expectation in directing such changes in beliefs is crucial, particularly in managing unfavorable shifts in beliefs. The study highlights that pre-existing beliefs could influence belief changes induced by psychedelic substances, and further exploration is necessary in this field.
“The magnitude of belief changes is strongly associated with mystical experience ratings, which are assessed without reference to supernatural beliefs,” noted Roland Griffiths, the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. “Major features of such experiences include a sense of connectedness, preciousness and validity. These features may account for changes in beliefs such as increases in a sense of purpose and meaning of life, and that the universe is conscious.”
The findings are in line with another study, which indicated that psychedelic drugs could alter a person’s core beliefs about the nature of reality, consciousness, and free will.
But the research team acknowledged some limitations to their new study. Firstly, the individuals who reported having psychedelic experiences resulting in a change of beliefs may not be a representative sample of typical psychedelic users. Moreover, most participants were from the United States, and the survey relied on retrospective self-reporting. Finally, the study was also advertised as a “psychedelic belief change survey,” which could have led to biased results favoring religious or spiritual beliefs.
Nayak and colleagues conclude that a solitary encounter with psychedelics can amplify convictions not based on the physical world, such as those relating to consciousness, meaning, and purpose. This work contributes to what is known about psychedelics and their potential for therapeutic use.
The study, “Belief changes associated with psychedelic use,” was authored by Sandeep M. Nayak, Manvir Singh, David B. Yaden, and Roland R. Griffiths.