Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Systematic review including open-label and non-randomized designs
PubMed 35923458 · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.917199
What was done
A systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42021261752) evaluated 12 studies investigating psychedelic therapy with psilocybin, ayahuasca, or ketamine. The review examined the association between mystical experiences (characterized by ego dissolution, oceanic boundlessness, and universal interconnectedness) and symptom reduction across conditions such as depressive disorders, substance use disorders, and cancer-related distress.
What was found
Ten of the 12 studies identified a statistically significant association (correlation, mediation, or prediction) between the mystical experience and symptom reduction. No specific numerical effect sizes, test statistics, or p-values were reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This review aggregates evidence across multiple psychedelics and psychiatric conditions, supporting the hypothesis that subjective mystical experiences are a key psychological mechanism driving therapeutic outcomes.
Limits
Half of the included studies (6 of 12) were open-label designs susceptible to bias. The analyzed evidence base was also limited by small sample sizes, lack of demographic diversity (gender, ethnic, racial, educational, and socioeconomic), and an absence of pooled quantitative effect estimates in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports The therapeutic benefit of a psychedelic trip can be predicted based on whether the individual experiences ego death.