Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Quantitative Exploration Of The Relationships Between Regular Yoga Practice, Microdosing Psychedelics, Wellbeing And Personality Variables, Stephen Bright, Eyal Gringart, Emily Blatchford, Samantha Bettinson

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objective:

The current study aimed to explore whether the subjective effects of microdosing psychedelics are comparable to those of yoga in relation to psychological wellbeing, depression, anxiety and stress. It also explored the relationship between yoga, microdosing and personality.

Method:

The sample comprised 339 participants, yoga (n = 131), microdose (n = 69), microdose and yoga (n = 54) and control (n = 85). All completed measures of personality (M5-50 and Tellegen Absorption Scale), mood (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21) and wellbeing (Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing).

Results:

The yoga and microdosing groups scored significantly higher on psychological wellbeing and …

Tripping Over The Other: Could Psychedelics Increase Empathy?, Emily Blatchford, Stephen Bright, Liam Engel

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

There is increasing evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is effective for a range of psy-chological conditions. There are likely numerous mechanisms of action that contribute to these clinicaleffects. One such mechanism of action might involve psychedelics increasing levels of empathicfunctioning. This paper synthesises research concerning the relationship between psychedelics andempathy, emphasising neuroscientific and clinical contexts. We conclude that neuropsychological andclinical evidence imply psychedelics could lead to increased empathic functioning. The effects of psy-chedelics on the 5-HT system, default mode network, neural connectivity and ego dissolution areimplicated in these changes. Changes in empathic functioning also likely relate to increases in thepersonality trait …