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Cited by 18Psychedelics and Drug StudiesParanormal Experiences and BeliefsJungian Analytical Psychology

Do psychedelics facilitate emergence of unconscious psychological processes

Lindegaard, Tomas·2023·Psychodynamic Psychiatry
DOI 10.1521/pdps.2023.51.3.270
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Abstract

Psychedelic substances have a long history of use in traditional healing and religious ceremonies worldwide and are increasingly being investigated for their possible therapeutic usage. However, there is still a lack of consensus regarding how best to characterize the psychological effects of psychedelics and how they bring about the positive therapeutic outcomes observed in clinical studies. The aim of this article is to review available evidence from quantitative and qualitative studies on psychedelic-assisted therapy, as well as neurobiological studies, in relation to the hypothesis that psychedelics facilitate the emergence of emotionally charged unconscious material, originally proposed by pioneering psychedelics researcher Stanislav Grof. The reviewed process studies of therapeutic mechanisms in psychedelic-assisted therapy and qualitative studies of treatment participants clearly indicate that the psychedelic experience is associated with the subjective experience of having increased access to and awareness of emotions, memories, and perceptions that are normally avoided or outside of conscious awareness. Brain-imaging studies point to several different neurobiological effects of psychedelics that might be related to these subjective psychological experiences. Available evidence also indicates that this process might constitute an important therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, worthy of further investigation.

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Crossref · 10.1521/pdps.2023.51.3.270

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  • Clinical studies consistently link psychedelic experiences to increased access to emotions, memories, and perceptions typically avoided or outside conscious awareness.

    “Clinical studies consistently link psychedelic experiences to increased access to emotions, memories, and perceptions typically avoided or outside conscious awareness (99, 100).”

    From Psychoanalytically informed MDMA-assisted therapy for pathological narcissism: a novel theoretical approach (2025) · cites this paper as [99]

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Authors
Lindegaard, T.
Affiliations
Linköping University (SE)
Corresponding author
Lindegaard, Tomas
ORCID
Lindegaard, Tomas
Venue
Psychodynamic Psychiatry
Publisher
Guilford Publications
Published
2023-09
Volume
51
Issue
3
Pages
270-286
ISSN
2162-2590 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1521/pdps.2023.51.3.270
OpenAlex
W4386758009
Cited by
18
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3
FWCI
0.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychodynamic Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Jungian Analytical Psychology
Keywords
psychedelics, psychedelic therapy, unconscious processes, Stanislav Grof, therapeutic mechanisms, memory retrieval, neuroimaging, psychedelic experience, psychotherapy
MeSH terms
Brain, Emotions, Hallucinogens, Humans, Neurobiology, Qualitative Research

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