Deconstructing Psychedelic Phenomenology: A Thematic Analysis of Discrete Phases of the Psychedelic Experience

TL;DR

This study explores how people describe their psychedelic experiences in three phases: before, during, and after, highlighting key themes like preparation, sensory changes, and lasting effects.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel thematic framework partitioning psychedelic experiences into distinct temporal phases with specific psychological themes.

Findings

Before the experience, themes include knowledge of psychedelics, preparation intentions, and use of experiential aids.

During the experience, sensory and cognitive distortions, emotional states, and environmental factors are emphasized.

After the experience, lasting behavioral and outlook changes are reported as a unified theme.

Abstract

The phenomenology of psychedelic experiences has been a long‐standing point of interest to researchers. However, internal experience has been relatively relegated, with much work done on the clinical outcomes of psychedelic therapies. Our reflexive thematic analysis revealed that structurally, people on fora write about their experiences sequentially, considering factors prior to (preparatory), during (acute phase), and after their account of ingesting psychedelics. Themes constructed prior to experience were (1) subjective knowledge and perception of psychedelics, (2) intention and efforts to mentally prepare, and (3) experiential aids. Generated themes during the experience were (1) sensory and cognitive distortions, (2) mindset and affective quality, and (3) environmental stability and support. Experiential impact on behavior and outlook was constructed as the unitary theme following the experience. Future work should look more closely at the role of set and setting within the context of the stages leading up to, during, and after psychedelic administration.

A thematic analysis of psychedelic experiences was partitioned into three temporal phases: before, during, and after the experience. Themes before the experience were preparatory intentions and perceptions; during the experience, acute sensory and affective distortions; and after the experience, changes in behavior and outlook.

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