Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner (Study)

[Bancopuma]

I thought this may be of interest to some Nexians...this paper was the result of a fun and fruitful collaboration with a few of the great peeps of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College. In the paper we present the first scientific evidence of a causal role of psychedelics increasing human nature connection or relatedness in a healthy population in an enduring way. It was also found that ego-dissolution experiences and access to natural settings also positively predicted an increase in nature connection. A strong relationship was found between lifetime usage of psychedelics and nature connection at baseline, and increases in nature relatedness were found to be highly correlated with psychological wellbeing scores.

Nature relatedness is a measure of one's self identification with nature. There is a substantial body of research literature to show that levels of nature relatedness are highly correlated with a broad range of measures of psychological wellbeing, and it also acts as a mediator for some of the benefits we gain from spending time in nature. Nature relatedness is also a strong predictor of pro-environmental behaviour, if not the single strongest psychological predictor known.

These findings are interesting and important given the implications a connection to nature has for individual wellbeing, and also the health of the biosphere, given our species is busy single-handedly orchestrating the sixth great mass extinction of life on this planet, while experiencing a concurrent mental health crisis. One of the grandfathers of the modern psychedelic movement, LSD inventor and discoverer Albert Hofmann came to view the capacity of psychedelics to (re)connect our species to the natural world as perhaps their most important fundamental property. I concur with this view.

Study:

Kettner, H.; Gandy, S.; Haijen, E.C.H.M.; Carhart-Harris, R.L. (2019) From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16, 5147.

Abstract

(1) Background: There appears to be a growing disconnection between humans and their natural environments which has been linked to poor mental health and ecological destruction. Previous research suggests that individual levels of nature relatedness can be increased through the use of classical psychedelic compounds, although a causal link between psychedelic use and nature relatedness has not yet been established. (2) Methods: Using correlations and generalized linear mixed regression modelling, we investigated the association between psychedelic use and nature relatedness in a prospective online study. Individuals planning to use a psychedelic received questionnaires 2 weeks before (N = 654), plus one day, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 2 years after a psychedelic experience. (3) Results: The frequency of lifetime psychedelic use was positively correlated with nature relatedness at baseline. Nature relatedness was significantly increased 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 years after the psychedelic experience. This increase was positively correlated with concomitant increases in psychological well-being and was dependent on the extent of ego-dissolution and the perceived influence of natural surroundings during the acute psychedelic state. (4) Conclusions: The here presented evidence for a context- and state-dependent causal effect of psychedelic use on nature relatedness bears relevance for psychedelic treatment models in mental health and, in the face of the current ecological crisis, planetary health.

I like to think the paper is written in an accessible way, as scientific papers go. Full open access paper can be accessed via link:

From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner

(1) Background: There appears to be a growing disconnection between humans and their natural environments which has been linked to poor mental health and ecological destruction. Previous research suggests that individual levels of nature relatedness can be increased through the use of classical...

www.mdpi.com

 

[brewster]

Thank you for sharing this. Doesn't surprise me at all

 

[xss27]

Is it more a pull towards 'nature' or a push away from our man-made world? I suspect it's more the latter - we're hardwired for nature; we never left it, only forgot it. I think psychedelics break the spell of hypnosis that our man-made world has over us from early childhood, assuming we're a typical urban dwelling individual with limited exposure to nature.

 

[brewster]

I totally agree with your reasoning, but wouldn't this then be the former - a pull back to a connection that was only inert?

 

[Bancopuma]

Is it more a pull towards 'nature' or a push away from our man-made world? I suspect it's more the latter - we're hardwired for nature; we never left it, only forgot it. I think psychedelics break the spell of hypnosis that our man-made world has over us from early childhood, assuming we're a typical urban dwelling individual with limited exposure to nature.

I very much agree with you...we have indeed never left if, we've just forgotten it. I have a good friend who was brought up and lived in an urban environment, and she considered herself quite an anxious person...since discovering psychedelics, she has spent more time in nature, and found that when she's in nature, she feels less anxious. So through the psychedelic nature experience, she'd found a more peaceful baseline, and is now overall a less anxious person. I talk about this in the paper, our hardwired biophilia or innate fondness of and connection to nature and natural environments, which our species has spent 99.9% of its existence in. We still have the brains of our Palaeolithic nature dwelling ancestors, and our brains have yet to catch up to our expanding urban landscapes. I also agree with your view that psychedelics can break the urban hypnosis potentially for people who have grown up without much contact with (and connection to) nature. In the future I can see psychedelics being used as agents of ecotherapy in helping restore a connection to nature in those who have been cut off from and lack said connection and wish to (re)connect.

 

[brewster]

That was one of my first experiences when having shrooms many years ago... standing in front of trees I had seen so often and never noticed - this time, I stood there for a long time, admiring their majestic aliveness.

 

[Jega]

Great to see the resurgence in interest in psychedelics for healing purposes and the involvement of an institution of such calibre and reputation for excellence as Imperial. I'm sure that the results of these studies will come as no great surprise to many of you but they will no doubt serve as a powerful tool in promoting therapeutic uses of psychedelics to a wider audience.

It's time to heal the world, and DMT, Ayahuasca and Iboga in my opinion are among the most powerful tools in the arsenal.

 

[RhythmSpring]

Well DUH!

 

[Bancopuma]

Well DUH!

Ha I thought you may chime in RhythmSpring saying something very much along these lines.

I'm sure that the results of these studies will come as no great surprise to many of you but they will no doubt serve as a powerful tool in promoting therapeutic uses of psychedelics to a wider audience.

I'm with Jega on this. This capacity of psychedelics may come as no surprise to you, I, or other Nexians, but we inhabit a psychedelic bubble or echo chamber, so in a sense research like this is confirming what we've already known or strongly suspected, and in a sense is preaching to the converted. To build bridges outside this bubble to a wider audience I do think we need to conduct more research like this as psychedelics still have a lot of cultural baggage from the 1960's attached to them, and I feel this kind of research will make them more respectable and of interest in scientific and medical circles. Part of science is not just discovering new things, but validating things we think we know, it's nice to have evidence to back up anecdote.

 

[Loveall]

Thanks for sharing this.

I found the planetary health discussion and concepts interesting. Is this the first time this is discussed in a scientific publication?

Usually improvements in mental health constitute the bulk of the analysis, so this seems new to me.

 

[Loveall]

Reading this article, they explain that data was gathered from Collaboration for better research

Interestingly, Bancopuma brought that site to our attention here Imperial College Psychedelic survey - Personal announcements - Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

I went to that site and participated because of Bancopuma's post.

Not sure if you are aware or not already Bancopuma, but I think you helped these researchers gather their data

 

[Bancopuma]

Ha good catch and nice one for your contribution Loveall :thumb_up: ...I had no idea when I shared that survey link that I would be looking at some of the data obtained from it a little later down the line.

Nature relatedness/connection is a really interesting thing to look at scientifically, both given its implications to individual wellbeing, and its strong link to pro-environmental behaviour, with potential implications for planetary wellbeing. So it's a fun thing to write about, and being able to shift from the scale of the individual human to the biosphere and planet.

 

[muladharma]

Gave the methodology and statistical analysis sections a look, looks like they used R for Pearson correlation and other statistical graphs. Another alternative is Python.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading!

 

[Loveall]

One of the things that jumps out from this paper is that the scientists are asking for the decriminalization of psychedelics for the good of the planet.

"Given the demonstrated capacity of psychedelics to oppose this pervasive environmental melancholia by enhancing human-nature relatedness, it would seem their widespread prohibition is not in the best interests of our species, or the biosphere at large."

:shock:​

This is a peer reviewed study in a scientific journal. If this finding is coraborated / confirmed, it can be logically argued that those who support continued criminalization of psychedelics could be a threat to our species and the biosphere. Even if there motives are good from their theoretical point of view (e.g. protect the order of society), maybe a potential lawsuit could be feasible due to the damage caused in practice?

Conversely, by Learning, Sharing, and Expanding psychedelics, we may be helping my the world become a better place, contributing to the health of our species and our planet

 

[Loveall]

A news article about this research was published today:

Scientists Uncover ‘Strong Relationship’ Between Psychedelic Use And Connection With Nature

People who claim a stronger bond with nature following a psychedelic experience aren’t just blowing smoke, according to new research. “We found a strong relationship between the amount of lifetime use of psychedelics and nature relatedness, as well as increases in nature relatedness from before...

www.marijuanamoment.net

 

[Bancopuma]

Thanks for linking that Loveall, I hadn't seen that. Another piece here that has recently come out that unpacks the science of the study a little more.

New study finds psychedelic drugs result in lasting increases in nature relatedness

New research provides evidence that psychedelic drugs produce enduring increases in people's sense of being connected to nature. The findings, which have

www.psypost.org

 

[downwardsfromzero]

One of the things that jumps out from this paper is that the scientists are asking for the decriminalization of psychedelics for the good of the planet.

"Given the demonstrated capacity of psychedelics to oppose this pervasive environmental melancholia by enhancing human-nature relatedness, it would seem their widespread prohibition is not in the best interests of our species, or the biosphere at large."

:shock:​

This is a peer reviewed study in a scientific journal. If this finding is coraborated / confirmed, it can be logically argued that those who support continued criminalization of psychedelics could be a threat to our species and the biosphere. Even if there motives are good from their theoretical point of view (e.g. protect the order of society), Maybe a potential lawsuit could be feasible due to the damage caused in practice?

Conversely, by Learning, Sharing, and Expanding psychedelics, may be helping my the world become a better place and helping ensure the health of our species and our planet

It's good to hear of any potential legal grounds for the relegitimization of psychedelics. The recent UK court decision regarding ethical veganism is an analogous situation worthy of note. That case was found in favour of someone formerly working for (ironically, perhaps) the League Against Cruel Sports after they made a complaint about the companies the LACS pension was investing in. The recognition of ethical veganism as a legitimate philosophical belief allows the plaintiff to sue for unfair dismissal.

Spiritual use of psychedelics is a legitimate philosophical belief and any legal challenges to the suppression of psychedelics might be informed by referring to this case. For a UK legal challenge, framing things such that the would fit the terms of the Equality Act 2010 would be of potential value. (Sorry for getting a bit off topic!)

 

[dragonrider]

I think it could be argued that being in nature, or to feel nature relatedness, also increases the depth of psychedelic experiences. (because improves the nature of experiencing in general)

It is sort of well astablished, both from animal studies as well as studies with people, that long-term exposure to a visually monotone environment has a negative impact on the nervous system.

Causes depressions, neurotic behaviour, visual and cognitive impairments, etc.