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Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting

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Considering distinct positive emotions in psychedelic science.

Sean P Goldy¹, Peter S Hendricks², Dacher Keltner³

¹Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

International Review of Psychiatry (Abingdon, England)

|February 21, 2025

Summary

Psychedelics can induce positive emotions, like awe and joy, during acute experiences. Understanding these distinct emotions may clarify how psychedelics achieve therapeutic effects for mental health conditions.

Keywords:

Psychedelics affect emotions

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Psychopharmacology

Background:

Psychedelics induce a range of acute subjective effects, including positive emotions.
Distinct positive emotions, such as awe and joy, are understudied in psychedelic science.
The science of distinct emotions offers a framework for analyzing psychedelic experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the acute subjective and therapeutic effects of psychedelics.
To outline the science of positive emotions.
To highlight the value of considering distinct positive emotions in psychedelic research.

Main Methods:

Literature review of psychedelic subjective effects.
Review of scientific literature on distinct positive emotions.
Conceptual analysis integrating emotion science with psychedelic research.

Main Results:

Psychedelics produce diverse acute subjective effects, including positive emotions like awe and joy.
Distinct emotions within psychedelic experiences remain understudied despite their potential role in therapeutic outcomes.
Considering specific positive emotions can refine understanding of psychedelic subjective processes.

Conclusions:

Understanding distinct positive emotions is crucial for elucidating the link between acute psychedelic effects and therapeutic benefits.
This approach can lead to more precise models of psychedelic action.
Further research into specific emotional correlates of psychedelic use is warranted.