For people searching for ways to improve mental well-being, the promise of quick transformation can be tempting. Psychedelic experiences are often described as powerful and life changing, while meditation is seen as slower and more demanding. New research suggests that when it comes to lasting psychological benefits, regular meditation may play the more reliable role. The findings were published in Consciousness and Cognition.
The study examined how meditation and psychedelic use relate to well-being, anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to adapt to challenges, manage difficult thoughts, and stay connected to personal values. These skills are widely linked to resilience and long-term mental health.
Researchers reanalysed data from two large surveys involving adults with experience of psychedelics, meditation, or both. The first survey included 679 participants from several countries, including the UK, and explored how often people used psychedelics or practised meditation over time. The second survey focused on 137 people who reported a single personally meaningful experience through meditation, psychedelics, or a combination of both.
When each practice was examined on its own, both psychedelic use and meditation were associated with higher well-being and greater psychological flexibility. However, when the two were analysed together, meditation consistently remained linked to better outcomes. The apparent benefits of psychedelic use became weaker or disappeared once meditation habits were taken into account.
Meditation frequency showed a stable relationship with better mental well-being and a greater sense of inner peace. It was also linked to lower psychological inflexibility, which is often associated with rigid thinking and emotional avoidance. Psychedelic use did not show clear links with lower anxiety or depression in this largely non-clinical group.
The findings suggest that some of the mental health benefits often attributed to psychedelics may partly reflect the fact that many users also meditate regularly. Meditation practice was common among psychedelic users, making it difficult to separate the effects of each without analysing them together.
The second part of the research looked at how people felt after a single meaningful experience. Participants who combined meditation with a psychedelic experience, or who practised meditation alone, reported greater improvements in well-being than those who relied only on psychedelics. All groups showed some positive change, but meditation appeared to support deeper and more sustained benefits.
There was also tentative evidence that meditation and psychedelics together may enhance certain aspects of well-being, particularly overall mental well-being and peace of mind. These combined effects were modest and not consistent across all analyses, meaning they should be interpreted with caution.
Importantly, the researchers emphasised that the study does not suggest psychedelics are harmful. Instead, it highlights meditation as a key factor that may strengthen or stabilise any benefits people experience. In everyday terms, meditation appears to provide a structure for integrating insights and maintaining emotional balance over time.
As interest grows in mental health apps, mindfulness training, and psychedelic assisted therapy, the findings underline the importance of sustained practices rather than one off experiences. For those seeking long-term improvements in mental well-being, the slow and steady approach of meditation may offer more dependable support than dramatic but brief interventions.