What is grief and how can psychedelics help?
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Grief is a strong, and at times overwhelming, emotion that can cause feelings of anguish, sadness, numbness, guilt, or anger in people who have experienced loss.1, 2, 3 For many, these emotions gradually subside over time. But for some, they can be debilitating.4 Complicated grief (also known as persistent complex bereavement disorder) occurs when painful emotions are so enduring and intense that the person experiencing it has difficulty recovering.5 This kind of overpowering grief can be life-threatening as a result of self-neglect or suicidal ideations.6
Psychedelics have been shown to help individuals living with grief by allowing them to access and confront painful memories which can be helpful in assisting them gain new insights and begin to process and manage their grief.7 (See How do psychedelics promote healing?).
Footnotes
1. Mayo Clinic, (2016, October 19). What is Grief? https://www.mayoclinic.org/patient-visitor-guide/support-groups/what-is-grief
2. American Psychological Association (n.d.). Grief. https://www.apa.org/topics/grief
3. Mayo Clinic Staff (n.d.) Complicated Grief. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms-causes/syc-20360374
4. Mayo Clinic Staff (n.d.) Complicated Grief. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms-causes/syc-20360374
5. Mayo Clinic Staff (n.d.) Complicated Grief. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms-causes/syc-20360374
6. American Psychological Association (n.d.). Grief. https://www.apa.org/topics/grief
7. Aller, Alexandra, (2022, September 23). The Connection Between Psychedelics and Grief. Psychedelics Spotlight. https://psychedelicspotlight.com/the-connection-between-psychedelics-and-grief/