Preliminary research indicates that psychological flexibility may play an important role in explaining why the use of psychedelic drugs is associated with reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms.
Research has shown that psychedelics given during psychotherapy sessions can help people with depression and anxiety.
Psychological flexibility describes the ability to connect with the present moment and manage one’s feelings.
Of this sample, 985 participants indicated that they had experienced a change in anxiety or depression as a result of a psychedelic experience.
Increases in psychological flexibility were in turn related to decreases in depression and anxiety.
Psychedelic experiences are associated with increasing one’s ability to engage in this way,” Davis told PsyPost.
The study, “Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety“, was authored by Alan K. Davis, Frederick S. Barrett, and Roland R. Griffiths. »