Breaking Down Barriers: How Psychedelic Therapy Dissolves the Walls Between Self and Others
Many people considering psychedelic therapy share a common fear: "Will I lose myself?" This concern is understandable, especially when hearing terms like "ego dissolution" or "loss of self-boundaries." However, recent scientific research reveals that this temporary dissolution of rigid self-boundaries might actually be one of psychedelic therapy's greatest therapeutic benefits. Rather than losing yourself, you might discover a more connected, empathetic, and mentally healthy version of who you are. The fear of losing one's identity during psychedelic therapy often stems from misunderstanding what actually happens in the brain during these experiences. When we talk about ego dissolution in therapeutic settings, we're not referring to a permanent loss of self or a dangerous psychological breakdown. Instead, we're describing a temporary softening of the mental walls that sometimes keep us trapped in negative thought patterns, excessive self-criticism, or feelings of isolation from others.
Recent groundbreaking research has begun to illuminate exactly how psychedelic compounds affect our brain's ability to distinguish between ourselves and others, offering new insights into why these experiences can be so profoundly healing for conditions like depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders [1]. Understanding this science can help address concerns and reveal why controlled psychedelic therapy, when conducted by trained professionals, represents a promising frontier in mental health treatment.
Understanding the Science Behind Self-Other Boundaries
A fascinating study published in 2025 examined how a psychedelic formulation inspired by ayahuasca affects the brain's processing of faces, particularly our own face compared to others [1]. Researchers at institutions including King's College London and the University of Zurich used advanced brain imaging technology to understand what happens when the boundaries between self and others become less rigid during psychedelic experiences. The study involved thirty healthy volunteers who participated in three different sessions: one with a placebo, one with harmine alone, and one with both DMT and harmine together. During each session, participants viewed images of their own face, familiar celebrity faces, and completely unknown faces while researchers measured their brain activity using EEG technology. This allowed scientists to track exactly how the brain responds to different types of faces at various stages of processing.
What they discovered was remarkable. Under normal circumstances, our brains show a very strong preference for our own face, giving it special attention and processing it differently from other faces. This self-preferential processing happens in multiple stages, from basic visual recognition to deeper emotional and cognitive responses. However, when participants received the DMT and harmine combination, this special treatment of their own face diminished significantly. The brain changes occurred at three distinct levels of processing. First, early visual processing became more sensitive overall, meaning participants' brains were more reactive to all visual information. Second, the brain's ability to recognize faces as structured, coherent identities became less efficient. Most importantly, the later stage of processing that normally gives special significance to our own face showed dramatic changes. The brain's response to seeing one's own face became much more similar to its response to seeing familiar or unfamiliar faces.
This neural flattening of self-other boundaries wasn't random or chaotic. Interestingly, the brain's ability to recognize socially meaningful faces, like celebrities, remained relatively stable. This suggests that psychedelics don't simply disrupt all face processing indiscriminately. Instead, they appear to specifically target the excessive self-focus that can become problematic in mental health conditions while preserving our ability to recognize and connect with others.
The researchers found that these brain changes correlated directly with participants' subjective experiences. Those who showed greater reductions in self-preferential brain processing also reported stronger feelings of ego dissolution, spiritual experiences, and vivid imagery. This provides scientific validation for what many people describe during psychedelic therapy: a sense of being less self-centered and more connected to the world around them.
What This Means for Mental Health Treatment
The implications of this research extend far beyond academic curiosity about brain function. Understanding how psychedelics temporarily reduce self-preferential processing offers crucial insights into why these treatments show such promise for various mental health conditions, particularly those characterized by excessive self-focus or rumination. Depression often involves what psychologists call "rumination" – repetitive, negative thoughts about oneself that become increasingly difficult to escape. People with depression frequently report feeling trapped in cycles of self-criticism, worthlessness, and hopelessness. The brain's tendency to give special attention to self-relevant information, which is normally adaptive, can become maladaptive when that information is consistently negative. By temporarily reducing this self-preferential processing, psychedelic therapy may create space for new perspectives and emotional flexibility.
Similarly, anxiety disorders often involve excessive worry about how others perceive us or how we might fail in social situations. This hypervigilant self-monitoring can be exhausting and isolating. When the rigid boundaries between self and others soften during psychedelic therapy, many people report feeling more connected to others and less concerned with self-judgment. This shift in perspective can persist beyond the acute effects of the medication, potentially leading to lasting improvements in social anxiety and interpersonal relationships. The research also helps explain why psychedelic therapy often produces increases in empathy and compassion. When the brain's usual emphasis on self versus other diminishes, people may find it easier to understand and connect with others' experiences. This enhanced empathy isn't just a pleasant side effect – it can be therapeutically crucial for individuals who have become isolated due to mental health struggles or who have difficulty forming meaningful relationships.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) represents another area where this research has significant implications. Trauma often creates rigid psychological defenses and a heightened sense of threat that can make it difficult to trust others or feel safe in relationships. The temporary dissolution of self-other boundaries during psychedelic therapy, combined with appropriate therapeutic support, may help trauma survivors develop new ways of relating to themselves and others that feel safer and more connected.
It's important to note that these benefits don't occur simply from taking psychedelic substances. The therapeutic context, including preparation, professional guidance during the experience, and integration work afterward, plays a crucial role in translating these neurobiological changes into lasting psychological benefits. The research shows us the mechanism, but skilled therapists help ensure that mechanism serves healing rather than confusion.
Addressing Common Concerns About Safety and Control
Despite the promising research, many people considering psychedelic therapy remain concerned about safety, particularly the fear of losing control or experiencing lasting negative effects. These concerns are valid and deserve thoughtful consideration based on current scientific evidence and clinical experience. One of the most important points to understand is that the ego dissolution experienced in therapeutic settings is temporary and occurs under carefully controlled conditions. The brain changes documented in research studies return to baseline as the medication's effects wear off, typically within several hours. Unlike some portrayals in popular media, therapeutic psychedelic experiences don't involve permanent personality changes or loss of individual identity.
The research also reveals that ego dissolution isn't always experienced as positive. Some participants in studies report that the blurring of self-other boundaries can initially feel disorienting or anxiety-provoking rather than blissful. This highlights the importance of proper preparation and professional support. Trained psychedelic therapists help clients understand what to expect, develop coping strategies for challenging moments, and process the experience afterward to maximize therapeutic benefits.
Professional psychedelic therapy also involves comprehensive medical and psychological screening to identify individuals who might be at higher risk for adverse reactions. People with certain psychiatric conditions, such as psychotic disorders or severe personality disorders, may not be appropriate candidates for this type of treatment. Additionally, the therapeutic setting itself – typically a comfortable, safe environment with trained professionals present – differs dramatically from uncontrolled recreational use.
The dosing used in therapeutic settings is also carefully calibrated. Research studies use specific doses that have been shown to produce therapeutic effects while minimizing risks. This precision dosing, combined with pharmaceutical-grade substances rather than unknown street drugs, significantly reduces the likelihood of unpredictable or dangerous reactions.
Perhaps most importantly, the temporary nature of ego dissolution in therapeutic contexts allows people to experience a different way of being without permanently losing their sense of self. Many clients describe this as liberating – like taking a vacation from their usual mental patterns and returning with new perspectives and reduced attachment to negative thought cycles.
Real-World Applications and Integration
Understanding the science behind ego dissolution helps explain why psychedelic therapy requires more than just the medication experience itself. The temporary changes in self-other processing create opportunities for psychological growth, but realizing those opportunities requires skilled therapeutic support and active integration work. In clinical practice, psychedelic therapy typically involves three phases: preparation, the medication session itself, and integration. During preparation, therapists help clients understand what to expect, address fears and concerns, and develop intentions for the experience. This preparation is crucial because it helps ensure that the temporary dissolution of self-boundaries serves therapeutic rather than confusing purposes.
The medication session takes place in a carefully designed therapeutic environment, often with comfortable furnishings, calming music, and minimal external stimulation. Trained therapists remain present throughout the experience, providing support and guidance as needed while allowing clients to explore their inner experience. The goal isn't to direct or control the experience but to create a safe container for whatever emerges.
Integration work, which often continues for weeks or months after the medication session, helps clients understand and apply insights gained during the experience. This might involve traditional talk therapy, journaling, meditation, or other practices that help consolidate new perspectives and behavioral changes. The temporary ego dissolution creates possibilities, but integration work helps make those possibilities into lasting improvements. Many people report that the experience of reduced self-other boundaries during psychedelic therapy helps them develop more compassionate relationships with themselves and others. They may find it easier to forgive past mistakes, feel less defensive in conflicts, or experience greater emotional intimacy in relationships. These changes often persist long after the acute effects of the medication have worn off.
The research on self-other boundary dissolution also helps explain why psychedelic therapy often produces what researchers call "mystical experiences" – feelings of unity, transcendence, or spiritual connection. While not everyone seeks or values these experiences, they often correlate with better therapeutic outcomes. Understanding the neurobiological basis of these experiences can help both therapists and clients appreciate their potential value without requiring specific spiritual or religious beliefs.
As research continues to illuminate the mechanisms behind psychedelic therapy's effects, we're developing increasingly sophisticated approaches to maximizing benefits while minimizing risks. The science of ego dissolution represents just one piece of this larger puzzle, but it's a crucial piece that helps explain why temporarily letting go of rigid self-boundaries can be profoundly healing for many people struggling with mental health challenges.
Conclusion
The fear of losing oneself in psychedelic therapy is understandable but largely unfounded when treatment occurs in appropriate therapeutic contexts. Research reveals that the temporary dissolution of self-other boundaries represents a sophisticated neurobiological process that can facilitate healing rather than harm. By understanding the science behind these experiences, we can approach psychedelic therapy with appropriate respect for both its potential benefits and its need for professional guidance.
The growing body of research on ego dissolution and self-other processing offers hope for millions of people struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions characterized by excessive self-focus or interpersonal difficulties. As this field continues to evolve, we're likely to see increasingly refined approaches that harness the therapeutic potential of ego dissolution while ensuring safety and maximizing benefits. For those considering psychedelic therapy, the key is finding qualified professionals who understand both the science and the art of guiding these experiences toward healing. The temporary dissolution of barriers between self and others isn't something to fear – it's a doorway to greater connection, empathy, and psychological freedom that many people find profoundly transformative.
References
[1] Suay, D., et al. (2025, July 2). Psychedelic compound blurs boundary between self and others in the brain, study finds. PsyPost. https://www.psypost.org/psychedelic-compound-blurs-boundary-between-self-and-others-in-the-brain-study-finds/
Disclaimer: Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy has not been approved by any regulatory agencies in the United States, and the safety and efficacy are still not formally established at the time of this writing.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers about treatment options for any medical condition.