How Psychedelics Reshape Self-Beliefs
Article Title: “From Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics (REBUS) to Revised Beliefs After Psychedelics (REBAS)”
Author: Richard J. Zeifman, Meg J. Spriggs, Hannes Kettner, Taylor Lyons, Fernando E. Rosas, Pedro A. M. Mediano, David Erritzoe & Robin L. Carhart-Harris
Publication Date: 2025
Background
Psychedelic therapy has gained significant attention for its potential to treat various mental health conditions. The REBUS (Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics) model suggests that psychedelics temporarily reduce the brain’s rigid belief structures, allowing for new perspectives to emerge. However, until now, little research has examined whether these relaxed beliefs lead to lasting changes. The new REBAS (Revised Beliefs After Psychedelics) model expands on this concept by exploring how psychedelics facilitate long-term belief revision, which may underlie their therapeutic benefits.
Study Overview
The study explored the psychological underpinnings of the REBUS model and examined whether psychedelics lead to long-term changes in belief structures. Eleven healthy participants took part in two psilocybin sessions, receiving 1 mg in the first session and 25 mg in the second, four weeks apart. Researchers measured participants’ confidence in their personally held beliefs before, during, and four weeks after the sessions. Additionally, neural entropy (a measure of brain signal complexity) and well-being were assessed to establish links between belief relaxation, neural activity, and psychological outcomes.
Key Findings
Reduction in Negative Self-Beliefs
Participants exhibited a significant reduction in confidence in their negative self-beliefs four weeks after taking 25 mg of psilocybin.
Increase in Positive Self-Beliefs
Confidence in positive self-beliefs significantly increased four weeks after the high-dose session.
Neural Entropy and Belief Change
Higher levels of neural entropy (brain signal complexity) during the psychedelic experience correlated with greater reductions in negative self-belief confidence.
Well-Being Improvement
Decreases in negative self-belief confidence were strongly associated with increases in well-being four weeks post-psilocybin.
The Role of the Unitive Experience
Participants who reported stronger unitive (ego-dissolving) experiences during their psychedelic session had greater reductions in negative self-belief confidence and higher long-term well-being.
Discussion
These findings provide initial support for the REBAS model, suggesting that psychedelics not only relax but also help revise entrenched negative self-beliefs. This change in self-perception may be a critical mechanism through which psychedelics offer lasting therapeutic benefits. Importantly, the study links these psychological shifts to neurobiological changes, reinforcing the theory that psychedelics temporarily disrupt rigid mental patterns, allowing for new, healthier perspectives to emerge.
Implications
The results suggest that psychedelic therapy could be particularly beneficial for individuals struggling with mental health conditions characterised by rigid negative self-beliefs, such as depression or eating disorders. Additionally, integrating psychedelic experiences with psychotherapy may help solidify these positive belief changes, potentially enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
Potential Application
Psychedelic therapy holds promise across various domains. In mental health treatment, it may be particularly useful for conditions such as depression, PTSD, and anxiety by fostering cognitive flexibility and promoting more adaptive self-perceptions. Beyond clinical settings, psychedelics may aid in personal growth and well-being by enhancing self-awareness and reducing self-imposed limitations. These substances also present potential for therapeutic integration, where guided sessions with trained professionals can help individuals process and integrate their experiences for long-term benefits. Understanding these applications can help refine approaches to psychedelic-assisted therapy and broaden its accessibility to those who may benefit the most.
Conclusions
This study provides empirical evidence that psilocybin can facilitate both the relaxation and long-term revision of negative self-beliefs. By linking these psychological changes to neurobiological markers, the research supports the notion that psychedelics act as a catalyst for profound and lasting personal transformation. Further research in larger and clinical populations is necessary, but these findings offer a promising foundation for psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Reference:
Zeifman, R. J., Spriggs, M. J., Kettner, H., Lyons, T., Rosas, F. E., Mediano, P. A. M., Erritzoe, D., & Carhart-Harris, R. L. (2025). From relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) to revised beliefs after psychedelics (REBAS). Scientific Reports, 15, 3651. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28111-3
