“Bad trips” and guilt: Why difficult feelings during psychedelic use might actually be a good thing
A recent study in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs has shed light on a less discussed aspect of psychedelic experiences: the feelings of shame and guilt that can arise during these journeys.
Mathai and his colleagues found that feelings of shame or guilt during psilocybin use were indeed common. Almost 70% of participants reported experiencing either shame or guilt at some point during their session. Specifically, about 56% reported shame, and approximately 52% reported guilt. For a small percentage, about 12%, these feelings were reported at the highest possible intensity. The duration of these feelings varied, but for most, they lasted between 10 minutes and an hour. Interestingly, the only factor that consistently predicted experiencing shame or guilt was age. Younger participants were more likely to report higher levels of both shame and guilt during their psilocybin experience. Other factors, including pre-existing levels of trait shame, anxiety, depression, or past adverse childhood experiences, did not reliably predict acute shame or guilt during the psychedelic session. Perhaps the most significant finding was the link between processing shame and guilt and later wellbeing. The study found that the degree to which participants felt they could constructively work through feelings of shame or guilt during the psilocybin experience was a significant predictor of their wellbeing two to four weeks later. In fact, individuals who reported being very capable of processing these emotions during their session actually reported higher levels of wellbeing and mystical experience compared to those who did not experience shame or guilt at all. This suggests that navigating challenging emotions during a psychedelic experience, and finding a way to process them, may be connected to positive outcomes.
Original Article (Psypost):
“Bad trips” and guilt: Why difficult feelings during psychedelic use might actually be a good thing
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