Guilt Trips (Literally) and Shame Spirals: Psilocybin Unpacks Emotional Baggage

By Katie Pickard, Director of Education

Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, has been making waves in the scientific community and the world of personal development. While its therapeutic benefits are increasingly being recognized, one area of interest is how psilocybin affects uncomfortable emotions like shame and guilt during a psychedelic experience.

Our new longitudinal study, conducted in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, sheds light on these emotional aspects of psilocybin use, offering new insights into the complexity of psychedelic experiences in naturalistic settings.

These findings are part of the Unlimited Sciences naturalistic psilocybin study, the largest of its kind in the world. 

Exploring the Emotional Impact of Psilocybin: A Real-World Study on Shame and Guilt

Conducted with 679 adults who used psilocybin in naturalistic settings, the study explored how shame and guilt manifested during psychedelic experiences and how these emotions impacted well-being both before and after the experience. Participants were surveyed before their use of psilocybin, immediately after, and then again 2-4 weeks post-experience, allowing researchers to track changes in emotional states and their potential long-term effects. In this study, psilocybin use characteristics included:

• Mean Age: 42 years old
• Motivation: 77% for self-exploration, 72% for mental health, 49% for therapy
• Location: 70% journeyed at home, 12% were outdoors in nature
• Accompaniment: 44% were alone while tripping, 25% were with with friends who were also tripping, 22% were with a trip sitter, guide(s), or therapist

Key Findings

The study uncovered a variety of significant findings regarding the emotional impact of psilocybin, particularly around feelings of shame and guilt:

1. Emotional Responses During the Experience

• 68.2% of participants reported experiencing feelings of shame or guilt at some point during their psilocybin journey. These emotions are often tied to deeply personal reflections and are not unique to psychedelics, as many individuals experience them in various emotional and therapeutic contexts.
• 55.7% reported experiences of shame 
• 51.8% reported experiences of guilt
• 11.8% rated their shame or guilt at its maximal value

2. Emotional Processing and Post-Experience Well-Being

• Interestingly, participants who reported effectively processing these feelings of shame and guilt during their experience showed improved well-being in the weeks following their trip. This suggests that psilocybin may offer an opportunity to confront and resolve difficult emotions, leading to a more positive emotional state over time.

3. The Long-Term Effects of Psilocybin on Shame

• Trait shame, or the long-term tendency to feel shame, was significantly reduced on average 2-3 months after the experience. This effect was seen in participants who processed their emotions effectively during the psychedelic experience. The reduction in trait shame suggests that psilocybin may have a lasting positive impact on emotional health.

However, 29.8% of participants experienced an increase in trait shame, highlighting the nuanced nature of psychedelic experiences. This significant minority demonstrates that the emotional response to psilocybin can vary greatly depending on individual factors, such as mindset, environment, and past experiences.

Understanding the Emotional Landscape of Psychedelics

This study highlights the emotional complexity of psilocybin experiences. The fact that a significant portion of participants experienced feelings of shame or guilt emphasizes that psychedelics, while often associated with spiritual insights or emotional healing, can also bring difficult emotions to the surface.

These findings also underscore the importance of emotional processing during psychedelic experiences. Participants who were able to confront and work through their emotions found that the outcome was a reduction in long-term shame and an overall improvement in mental well-being.

Conclusion

As the research into psychedelics continues to grow, studies like this one help us understand the complex emotional landscape of psychedelic experiences and offer guidance for those interested in exploring these substances for personal and therapeutic growth.

While 68.2% of participants reported feelings of shame or guilt, those who effectively processed these feelings showed improved well-being in just 2-4 weeks. And in 2-3 months following the experience, a significant reduction in the tendency to feel shame suggests psilocybin may have a lasting positive impact on emotional health.

If you’re looking for personalized guidance and support before or after a psychedelic experience, the Unlimited Sciences Psychedelic Info Line offers free, 1:1 support for answering questions about psychedelic safety, integration, and emotional processing.