Ego dissolution or ‘ego death’ experiences on psychedelics like ayahuasca offer users a transformative experience. Here’s what the science says.
Ayahuasca is a powerful plant medicine that has been used for centuries by Indigenous cultures in the Amazon as a means of healing and spiritual exploration. It’s the brew concocted through two rainforest plants that when combined release DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine), a powerful hallucinogen linked to the transformative ego dissolution experience often called “ego death.”
“Put simply, when one experiences ego dissolution, one experiences, to varying degrees, a loss of their ordinary sense of self,” clinical psychology doctoral candidate Fiona G. Sleight wrote in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.
She likens the experience to something many people already experience on a regular basis — the “flow state.” Sleight says flow states arise when we are absorbed in an enjoyable and attention-engaging activity;” think of reading a good book, completing an assignment you are immersed in or playing a sport you love,” Sleight explained. “In flow states, you become so absorbed in the task that you can lose track of time and feel less self-conscious.”
In his 2018 book, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, journalist Michael Pollan explores ego death and its impact. One of the most common experiences reported by those who have used ayahuasca, ego death is a profound, and often overwhelming, dissolution of the sense of self and identity.
Pollan describes his own experiences with ego dissolution in the book, noting that while the experience can be terrifying and disorienting, it can also be transformative and healing. “For me, ‘spiritual’ is a good name for some of the powerful mental phenomena that arise when the voice of the ego is muted or silenced. If nothing else, these journeys have shown me how that psychic construct — at once so familiar and on reflection so strange — stands between us and some striking new dimensions of experience, whether of the world outside us or of the mind within.”
Ego death can be accompanied by feelings of unity, interconnectedness, and transcendence, as well as by intense emotions such as fear, awe, and bliss. Ego death is often described as a transformative experience that can lead to insights, healing, and spiritual growth.
“When the ego dissolves, so does a bounded conception not only of our self but of our self-interest,” Pollan writes. “What emerges in its place is invariably a broader, more openhearted and altruistic — that is, more spiritual — idea of what matters in life. One in which a new sense of connection, or love, however defined, seems to figure prominently.”
Actress Megan Fox described her experience with it:
“I felt this quiver. The only other time I’ve had it is when I was giving birth. [A feeling that] I’m not sure I want to do this – but a sense of no turning back, you’re here and you’ve got to go through this.
“I don’t remember my body being around after that.”
Ayahuasca’s role in ego death is not solely due to its chemical properties. When administered traditionally, ayahuasca ceremonies are often conducted in a supportive and ritualistic context that emphasizes surrender, trust, and connection with nature and realms beyond human consciousness. This context can create a sense of safety and trust that allows individuals to let go of their ego and surrender to the experience.
Moreover, ayahuasca is often consumed in the presence of a shaman or facilitator who can guide and support the individual through the experience, and who may use icaros (sacred songs) and other tools to facilitate healing and integration. These songs play critical roles in guiding the experience very much in the same way that maps help drivers navigate their journey. Recent research has confirmed this and found the use of traditional shamanic music can help facilitate deeper healing while under the influence of ayahuasca.
Ego death is not unique to ayahuasca use; it can also occur spontaneously, through meditation, or as a result of trauma or mental illness, and with other psychedelics such as psilocybin. A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reveals how psilocybin, the active compound in so-called magic mushrooms, induces hyperconnectivity in the brain, leading to significant ego-modifying effects and a sense of “oceanic boundlessness.” This phenomenon, characterized by feelings of unity, bliss, and deep insight, has long been associated with psychedelic experiences. The study’s findings offer valuable insights into the psychotherapeutic potential of psilocybin for treating various psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and addiction.
What happens in the brain during ego death?
The neurobiological mechanisms underlying ego death are still poorly understood, but some studies suggest that it may involve a disruption of the default mode network (DMN), a network of brain regions involved in self-referential processing and mind-wandering. The DMN is thought to play a key role in generating and maintaining the sense of self, so its disruption can lead to a loss of ego boundaries and a sense of unity and connectedness.
The researchers in the Biological Psychiatry study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyze brain activity in participants given psilocybin versus a placebo. Those who received psilocybin reported profound perceptual changes, while brain scans revealed a recurring pattern of enhanced region-to-region connectivity. “Taken together, averaged and dynamic connectivity analyses suggest that psilocybin alters brain function such that the overall neurobiological pattern becomes functionally more connected, more fluid, and less modular,” said lead investigator Dr. Johannes G. Ramaekers of Maastricht University. This dynamic connectivity was closely linked to ego-dissolution, suggesting that psilocybin’s therapeutic benefits may stem more from ego-modifying effects than hallucinations.
PhD candidate Larry Fort from the University of Liège highlighted this distinction, noting, “We expected that the hallucinatory dimensions of experience would correlate the highest with psilocybin’s hyperconnected pattern. However, hallucinatory experience had a strong, but weaker correlation with this pattern than ego-modifying experiences. This led us to formulate the term ‘egotropic’ to draw attention to these ego-modifying effects as important, perhaps even more so than their hallucinogenic counterparts.” As psychedelic research expands, these findings could guide the design of therapeutic sessions to enhance clinical outcomes through targeted ego-dissolution experiences.
Studies have also suggested that ego death may involve changes in the brain’s serotonin system, which is the primary target of ayahuasca’s active compound, DMT. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood, cognition, and perception, and it is thought to play a role in altered states of consciousness, including those induced by psychedelics.
The experience can mimic the phenomenon known as Near Death Experience (NDE). That phrase came by way of the philosopher and psychologist Raymond Moody, who studied 50 people who experienced clinical death but were revived. Most recalled similar experiences during that time such as seeing a bright light, feeling detachment from the body, as well as feelings of security and warmth. Some reported encounters with spiritual beings such as angels.
“What has amazed me since the beginning of my interest are the great similarities in the reports,” Moody wrote. “Despite the fact they come from people of highly varied religious, social, and educational backgrounds.”
The effects of ego death can be positive and negative, depending on the individual, the setting, and the context of the experience. Some people report profound insights, spiritual revelations, and a sense of connection with the universe as Pollan experienced, while others may experience fear, confusion, or a sense of disorientation.
One of the potential benefits of ego death is the release of deeply ingrained patterns of thought and behavior that can be limiting or in some cases, harmful. By letting go of one’s ego and identity, one can gain a fresh perspective on oneself and one’s life, and reframe goals and values.
Ego death can also facilitate emotional healing by allowing one to access repressed or suppressed emotions and memories. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he found healing during an ayahuasca experience.
However, ego death can also be destabilizing and disorienting, especially if it occurs in a context that is not supportive or safe. Some people may experience intense fear, anxiety, or paranoia during ego death, which can be exacerbated by a lack of preparation, guidance, or integration support.
Long-term effects of ego death and other psychedelic experiences are being studied by a number of universities and organizations. And while there’s much to be learned, the findings look promising — from decreased anxiety to relief from depression and other mental health benefits.
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