Dreams and Psychedelics: Neurophenomenological Comparison and Therapeutic Implications

Title:Dreams and Psychedelics: Neurophenomenological Comparison and Therapeutic Implications

Volume: 15 Issue: 7

Author(s): Rainer Kraehenmann*

Affiliation:

• Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich,Switzerland

Keywords: Dreams, psychedelics, subjective experience, perception, mental imagery, emotion activation, fear memory extinction, sense of self and body.

Abstract: Background: A resurgence of neurobiological and clinical research is currently underway into the therapeutic potential of serotonergic or ‘classical’ psychedelics, such as the prototypical psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,Ndimethyltryptamine), and ayahuasca – a betacarboline- and dimethyltryptamine (DMT)-containing Amazonian beverage. The aim of this review is to introduce readers to the similarities and dissimilarities between psychedelic states and night dreams, and to draw conclusions related to therapeutic applications of psychedelics in psychiatry.

Methods: Research literature related to psychedelics and dreaming is reviewed, and these two states of consciousness are systematically compared. Relevant conclusions with regard to psychedelicassisted therapy will be provided.

Results: Common features between psychedelic states and night dreams include perception, mental imagery, emotion activation, fear memory extinction, and sense of self and body. Differences between these two states are related to differential perceptual input from the environment, clarity of consciousness and meta-cognitive abilities. Therefore, psychedelic states are closest to lucid dreaming which is characterized by a mixed state of dreaming and waking consciousness.

Conclusion: The broad overlap between dreaming and psychedelic states supports the notion that psychedelics acutely induce dreamlike subjective experiences which may have long-term beneficial effects on psychosocial functioning and well-being. Future clinical studies should examine how therapeutic outcome is related to the acute dreamlike effects of psychedelics.

Cite this article as:

Kraehenmann Rainer *, Dreams and Psychedelics: Neurophenomenological Comparison and Therapeutic Implications, Current Neuropharmacology 2017; 15 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573413713666170619092629

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573413713666170619092629	Print ISSN 1570-159X
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 1875-6190