Psychedelics and Connections to Others
At Aracari Healing we are very interested in and excited by the potential for psychedelic treatment to enhance connections between individuals. In learning about the benefits of psychedelics we have seen that people report improved connections with others in various ways. For example, in one study,[1] prior to a trial of psilocybin most participants described themselves as “trapped in my mind,” or “disconnected from others.” After the psilocybin session most participants had a large shift, describing themselves as “connected to others,” and “connected to the world.”
Others have described the group bonding experience during group psychedelic ceremonies as ‘spontaneous communitas’ involving feelings of intense connectedness and shared humanity.[2] During psychedelic ceremonies, participants had discovered a greater sense of belonging and sharing, less emphasis on social status, a feeling of equality among participants, and less ego-related tensions. Social connectedness and well-being continued to increase four weeks after the ceremony. Feelings of affiliation during retreats were related to greater well-being and social connectedness, interpersonal tolerance, and reductions in depression and anxiety four weeks later.
Psychedelics tend to facilitate positive relationships and empathy by promoting emotional openness, reducing defensiveness, and increasing sensitivity to others' emotions.[3] Psychedelics can induce a temporary reduction in ego boundaries (referred to as "ego dissolution"), allowing individuals to feel more interconnected with others and the world. They can enhance communication by lowering interpersonal barriers, making it easier for participants to express vulnerabilities, process conflicts, and engage in honest dialogue. Psychedelics influence brain activity, particularly in regions associated with social cognition and emotional processing, such as the default mode network (DMN) and the limbic system. These changes can promote greater flexibility in thought and perception, enabling deeper connections. The shared experiences of awe, insight, and transformation can also strengthen group cohesion and foster a sense of belonging. Finally, psychedelics can help reduce social anxiety by decreasing the fear of judgment or rejection, thus creating a safer environment for individuals to connect more authentically with others.
Regarding Ketamine specifically, it has been found[4] that patients who received ketamine in treatment reported increased pleasure from being with family and friends, seeing other people smiling, helping others and receiving praise. Changes persisted for up to a week following treatment.
There are important contrasts between Western mental health research, which often involves only one individual taking the medication, and use of psychedelic plant medicines in Indigenous practice, which often involve groups of individuals in ceremony together. In Indigenous ceremonies, psychedelics are often used to build and reinforce social connections,[5] and there is often a focus on group worship. In these ceremonies, large groups of 20 to 40 participants or more worship together fostering a sense of social cohesion and a sense of belonging among participants.[6]
There has been recognition of the importance of community in a broader Indigenous philosophy beyond the psychedelic ceremony.[7] Susan Beaulieu of the Red Lake Ojibwe noted that a guiding philosophy of many Indigenous groups is that the world and its people are interconnected and interdependent, while respect and reciprocity are among their key values. Urrutia et al. (2023)[8] emphasized that among the ways ailments can arise is imbalance in the way we relate to our communities, ourselves and our environment, and that the desire for social cohesion is among the needs addressed by plant medicine ceremonies.
At Aracari Healing, we understand that the potential benefits of psychedelics for social cohesion are promising and just beginning to be explored in modern research and Western practice. We are excited about these benefits, and we plan our retreats and activities to help foster group connections, openness, and empathy among participants.
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[1] Watts, R., Day, C., Krzanowski, J., Nutt, D., & Carhart-Harris, R. (2017). Patients’ accounts of increased “connectedness” and “acceptance” after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 57(5), 520–564.
[2] Kettner H, Rosas FE, Timmermann C, Kärtner L, Carhart-Harris RL, Roseman L. Psychedelic Communitas: Intersubjective Experience During Psychedelic Group Sessions Predicts Enduring Changes in Psychological Wellbeing and Social Connectedness. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Mar
[3] Trope A, Anderson BT, Hooker AR, Glick G, Stauffer C, Woolley JD. Psychedelic-Assisted Group Therapy: A Systematic Review. J Psychoactive Drugs. 2019 Apr-Jun;51(2):174-188.
[4] Hess, Evan M et al. “Entactogen Effects of Ketamine: A Reverse-Translational Study.” The American journal of psychiatry, appiajp20230980. 10 Jul. 2024
[5] Dupuis, D. (2021). Psychedelics as Tools for Belief Transmission. Set, Setting, Suggestibility, and Persuasion in the Ritual Use of Hallucinogens. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(November), 1–16.
[6] Metzner, R. (1998). Hallucinogenic drugs and plants in psychotherapy and shamanism. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 30(4), 333–341.
[7] McCleave, Christine Diindiisi & Beaulieu, Susan & Lopez, Rainbow & Tafur, Joseph. (2024). Traditional and Indigenous Perspectives on Healing Trauma With Psychedelic Plant Medicines. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 22. 1-13.
[8] Urrutia, J., Anderson, B. T., Belouin, S. J., Berger, A., Griffiths, R. R., Grob, C. S., Henningfield, J. E., Labate, B.C., Maier, L. J., Maternowska, M. C., Weichold, F., Yaden, D. B., & Magar, V. (2023). Psychedelic Science, Contemplative Practices, and Indigenous and Other Traditional Knowledge Systems: Towards Integrative Community-Based Approaches in Global Health. In Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (Vol. 55, Issue 5, pp. 523–538).
