Breaking Open: Finding a Way Through Spiritual Emergency

Coming back together: a qualitative survey study of coping and support strategies used by people to cope with extended difficulties after the use of psychedelic drugs

“…Some respondents suggested that their post-psychedelic difficulties were best resolved by a subsequent psychedelic experience. This aligns with Evans & Read's findings that people sometimes recover from 'spiritual emergencies' by re-entering altered states, re-experiencing the trauma of their initial challenging experience, but this time emerging with the feeling they have managed the experience better and not been overwhelmed by it (Evans and Read, 2020). Other respondents reported that they used alcohol and recreational drugs, even in some cases in amounts described as excessive.…”

“…Additionally, respondents identified spending time in natural environments as beneficial and healing, a concept also underscored by Gandy et al (2020), Luoma (2020), andBrook (2021). Consistent with the research of Evans and Read (2020), it is noteworthy that embodied practices appear to facilitate the integration Respondents also mentioned the value of journaling and selfeducation in coping with their post-psychedelic difficulties. This fits with Gashi et al 's (2021) emphasis on narrative practices as central to the integration of challenging psychedelic experiences.…”

“…This fits with Gashi et al 's (2021) emphasis on narrative practices as central to the integration of challenging psychedelic experiences. In Brook's (2021), Evans and Read's (2020), and Corneille and Luke's (2021) studies of people reporting 'spiritual emergencies, ' participants also suggested reading and meaning-making were crucial practices for making sense of a powerful yet confusing experience and integrating it into their life. While spiritual interpretations of psychedelic experiences are common, not all psychedelic-related problems are interpreted as spiritually salient, and some participants actively rejected a spiritual interpretation of their difficulties.…”

“…Practices reported to help cope with non-psychedelic-induced transformative experiences include breathwork techniques, mindfulness practice, consulting spiritual literature, yoga, lucid dreaming, nature immersion, and athletic activity. The majority (84%) of those surveyed reported benefit in managing their experience, whereas 7% reported no benefit, and 3% reported a worsening of symptoms (Evans and Read, 2020;Brook, 2021;Corneille and Luke, 2021). It's worth noting that 'spiritual emergency' is not a common term in mainstream psychology or psychiatry and is confined to the relatively niche context of transpersonal psychology.…”

Experiential Training in Psychedelic‐Assisted Therapy: A Risk‐Benefit Analysis

“…81 And while some psychological adverse effects of psychedelics may resolve by the end of the session, there are also risks of serious extended difficulties. 82 Possible prolonged effects include trauma responses as-sociated with bad trips, "spiritual emergencies," 83 heightened anxiety or depression, psychosis, and hallucinogen persisting perception disorder. 84 Extended difficulties may cause short-or even long-term impairment to trainees' personal and professional functioning.…”