Impact of psychedelics on aggressive behavioral dyscontrol

Abstract

Preliminary results coming from the scientific literature hint at the fact that impaired mindfulness (Shorey et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2022), emotion dysregulation (Sedighi et al., 2020; Calvete et al., 2012), and a lack of self-compassion (Neff & Beretvas, 2013; Yarnell & Neff, 2013) are risk factors for aggression. Numerous studies have found support for increased mindfulness (Radakovic et al., 2022), and better emotion regulation strategies (Domínguez-Clavé et al., 2019) after psychedelic use and emphasized their role in fostering a profound sense of self-compassion (Kiraga et al., 2021; Dominiguez-Clavé et al., 2022). An emerging study conducted by Hendricks et al. (2018) indicated that using psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms) seems to have a protective effect against engaging in antisocial criminal behavior. Additionally, an analysis done by Thiessen et al. (2018) revealed that male psychedelic users reported better emotion regulation when compared to males with no history of psychedelic use and lower perpetration of intimate partner violence. According to a review conducted by Tomlinson and colleagues in 2016, an extensive body of experimental research consistently indicates that hallucinogens tend to reduce aggressive behavior. The study done by Walsh et al. in 2016 contributes to a growing literature suggesting distinct therapeutic potential for hallucinogens to assist in the attenuation of problematic behavior. However, the connection between psychedelic use and aggression is still not well understood. This is why this present study wants to investigate how psychedelic ceremonies may impact certain variables. Psychedelic ceremonies are structured gatherings where individuals consume psychedelic substances in a controlled and intentional setting, often guided by experienced facilitators or shamans. This present study investigates psychedelic ceremonies’ impact on psychological variables including emotion regulation, mindfulness, self-compassion, and aggression. All variables will be measured utilizing questionnaires and one behavioral task. This research is aimed at investigating and revealing the potential connections between psychedelics and aggressive behavioral dyscontrol.

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