Search results for "ego death"

Psilocybin as an inducer of ego death and similar experiences of religious provenance

2016

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the impact of hallucinogenic psilocybin on religious-type emotionality related to ego disintegration. Psilocybin as a typical hallucinogen evokes alternations of visual perception (enhances a development of pseudo-hallucinations, phantom visual perception, or hypnagogic experiences). These visual phenomena may be inspiring and are claimed to enhance aesthetic appreciation. Additionally the hallucinogen induces transient impairment of cognitive functions and psychological regression comparable to the signs of ego blurring and dissociative phenomena. The psilocybin effects, initially euphoric, may become emotionally perceived as anxious…