Finding Meaning Through Psychedelics
Article Title: “Enhanced meaning in life following psychedelic use: converging evidence from controlled and naturalistic studies”
Author: William Roseby, Hannes Kettner, Leor Roseman, Meg J. Spriggs, Taylor Lyons, Joe Peill, Bruna Giribaldi, David Erritzoe, David J. Nutt, and Robin L. Carhart-Harris
Publication Date: June 2025
Background
Psychedelics like psilocybin have long been known for producing profound and often life-changing experiences. In recent years, scientific interest has grown around how these substances affect mental wellbeing. One particular area of focus is “meaning in life” – a psychological construct linked to both mental and physical health. Higher levels of meaning are associated with greater wellbeing and lower rates of depression and anxiety, while a lack of meaning is often tied to distress. This study aimed to investigate whether psychedelic use genuinely enhances a person’s sense of meaning and how this might support broader mental health.
Study Overview
The researchers examined three different contexts of psychedelic use:
Ceremony Study: Over 800 participants attending psychedelic retreats involving psilocybin or ayahuasca completed questionnaires before and after their ceremonies.
Insight Study: 28 healthy, psychedelic-naïve participants took part in a controlled psilocybin laboratory study.
Psilodep Study: 59 patients with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to receive either psilocybin-assisted therapy or the antidepressant escitalopram.
To measure meaning in life, the team used the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), which evaluates both the presence of meaning (a sense that life is valuable and fulfilling) and the search for meaning (the active pursuit of purpose). Additional measures looked at well-being, depression, and qualities of the psychedelic experience such as mystical-type states, ego dissolution, and emotional breakthroughs.
Key Findings
Increased presence of meaning: Across all three studies, participants reported a significant increase in their sense of meaning in life following psychedelic use. These effects were still present up to six months later in the Ceremony study.
Little reduction in search for meaning: While there was a small decrease in the active search for meaning, this effect was much weaker compared to the increase in presence of meaning.
Linked to better mental health: Gains in meaning were strongly associated with improvements in mental wellbeing and reductions in depression severity.
Quality of the psychedelic experience mattered: Mystical experiences, ego dissolution, and emotional breakthroughs were correlated with stronger increases in meaning, though the strength of this link varied depending on the study context.
Discussion
The findings confirm that psychedelics can reliably enhance a person’s sense of meaning in life, regardless of whether the experience took place in a retreat, laboratory, or clinical setting. Interestingly, the greatest improvements were observed among participants who initially reported lower levels of meaning, such as those in the depression trial.
The results also highlight the importance of context. Ceremonial settings, with their supportive group environments, seemed particularly effective in fostering lasting increases in meaning. Similarly, therapeutic settings offering psychological support helped ensure the experiences translated into enduring positive changes.
Implications
This study adds weight to the idea that psychedelics are not only tools for improving mental health but may also directly enhance our sense of purpose and value in life. The research suggests that the meaningfulness derived from psychedelic experiences could be one of the key reasons they show such promise in treating conditions like depression.
Potential Application
For retreat settings, these findings underline the potential benefits of combining psychedelics with supportive, intentional contexts such as guided ceremonies. The combination of mystical-type experiences with skilled facilitation appears to be especially powerful in strengthening meaning in life and, in turn, improving overall wellbeing.
Conclusions
Psychedelics, when used in safe and supportive environments, can meaningfully increase a person’s sense of purpose and fulfilment in life. These effects are linked to lasting improvements in mental health, making psychedelic retreats and therapies an exciting area for those seeking profound and lasting personal growth.
Reference:
Roseby, W., Kettner, H., Roseman, L., Spriggs, M. J., Lyons, T., Peill, J., Giribaldi, B., Erritzoe, D., Nutt, D. J., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2025). Enhanced meaning in life following psychedelic use: Converging evidence from controlled and naturalistic studies. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1580663. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1580663
