PSYCHEDELICS & BREATHWORK - THE (NOT SO) HIDDEN LINK.

Psilocybin is a serotonin receptor agonist that occurs naturally in some mushroom species. Many studies have been done over the years, and more recently have gained significant traction in understanding how psychedelics can support people who are experiencing long term depression, anxiety and PTSD, and how psychedelics can support emotional processing (Carhart-Harris et al)

Connected Breathwork has repeatedly been shown to bring many repressed memories back into one’s awareness, and whilst this is an incredible thing in so many ways, what happens when the memory has resurfaced if there isn't adequate support and space for integration?

Over the years with a similar rise in trauma awareness, we have become accustomed to accepting that unprocessed trauma can remain lodged in our subconscious awareness and nervous system, impacting our responses to life and causing us to react in particular (self protective) ways whenever we experience anything that touches the edge of these memories.

Trauma is not what happens to us, but what happens inside us as a result of the experiences we have. If we are resourced and have adequate support, we may well be able to process an experience in a healthy way, gain understanding and find subsequent freedom from the moment of trauma/stress. If we don't have that support system in place, or if we have less resilience in general, we may find that without an outlet, those memories get pushed further down creating anxiety, fear, and tension around anything which reminds us of that moment, even when we don't exactly know what that is. This means that our future and current experiences are continually being impacted by our past experiences and not necessarily in positive or helpful ways.

So why might people look towards working with psychedelics, in particular micro-dosing psychedelics, or using the kind of breathwork practices which can seemingly create altered states?

There are many answers to that question! A lot of us are accustomed to seeking altered states as a way of escaping our reality, perhaps because we feel a sense of comfort in those states in a world that can feel hostile or strange to us. Let's face it, being human is a complex thing!

For others, we may consciously and mindfully approach these practices with an intention for healing, ensuring that we have adequate support before stepping into any deep processes, and personally that's my preferred way of working.

It may not be possible to move through life without being impacted by unwelcome and negative experiences, but we have choices about what we do with those experiences so that they don't continue to run our lives.

A study in 2016 by Carhart-Harris et al found when working with a small group of people resistant to medication and conventional treatment for severe depression, that relative to baseline, depressive symptoms were markedly reduced 1 week and 3 months after high-dose treatment and marked and sustained improvements in anxiety were also noted.

Another study by Schmid et al in 2015 working with low dose LSD found that the participants experienced impaired emotion recognition of negative emotions and enhanced emotional empathy, particularly for positive emotional situations, and had subjective and behaviourally tested prosocial effects. These effects of LSD in healthy participants likely have translational relevance to LSD-assisted psychotherapy in patients and can be expected to reduce the perception of negative emotions and facilitate the therapeutic alliance.

Perhaps another interesting aspect is that one of the founders of connected breathwork as we now know it, Stan Grof, is well known for his earlier research with hallucinogenics. Grof is a prominent figure in the field of transpersonal psychology, and is highly regarded for his pioneering work with psychedelics, in particular with LSD, and later for his work in the development of Holotropic Breathwork.

His transition from studying psychedelics to developing and promoting breathwork techniques was largely influenced by changes in the legal and cultural landscape surrounding psychedelics, as well as his ongoing interest in non-ordinary states of consciousness.

During his LSD research, Grof noticed that participants often experienced deep, spontaneous breathing patterns. This observation suggested a potential link between breathing and the depth of the psychedelic experience, so with the change in the cultural climate impacting and then eradicating his ability to legally research LSD, Grof began more intentionally researching the ‘altered states’ potential of connected breathwork more deeply.

photo credit: magicmushrooms101.com

It’s important to state here that “hyperventilation” which is in fact what we are ‘consciously’ doing in CCB practices, was already known to induce altered states of consciousness by changing the balance of gases in the blood and brain, so what actually happens in breathwork sessions of this kind?

1. A Decrease in Carbon Dioxide (Hypocapnia)

During normal respiration, a balance is maintained between the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the body and the amount exhaled. However, during hyperventilation we are typically ‘off gassing’ (exhaling) way more Co2 from the lungs which in turn reduces the partial pressure of Co2 in the blood. Contrary to some (erroneous!) schools of thought CO2 is an essential transporter of oxygen.

2. Physiological Effects of Hypocapnia begin to become evident.

The reduction in CO₂ levels in the blood can have several physiological effects, particularly on the brain:

• Alkalosis (tetany): A drop in CO₂ causes an increase in blood pH, leading to respiratory alkalosis. This condition can affect the functioning of enzymes and other proteins, influencing cellular processes.

• Vasoconstriction: Low CO₂ levels cause cerebral vasoconstriction, narrowing the blood vessels in the brain. This leads to reduced blood flow (cerebral blood flow) and can result in decreased oxygen delivery to brain tissues (hypoxia), even if overall oxygen levels in the blood are normal. This is why some folk may experience migraine, tinnitus and other things  after or during b/w sessions, and why epilepsy, seizures and glaucoma are also contraindicated.

• Electrolyte Imbalance: Hypocapnia can cause shifts in the balance of electrolytes, particularly calcium and potassium, affecting neural excitability and muscle function.

This is why practice waivers and thorough training are SO IMPORTANT!!!

3. Neurological and Psychological Effects also visible.

The changes in blood gas levels and subsequent physiological effects can lead to various neurological and psychological symptoms, which also contribute to altered states of consciousness:

• Lightheadedness and Dizziness: Reduced blood flow to the brain can cause sensations of dizziness or lightheadedness.

• Tingling and Numbness: Changes in calcium and pH levels can cause sensations of tingling or numbness, often in the extremities or face.

• Visual and Auditory Changes: Some people experience alterations in visual and auditory perception, including seeing colours more vividly or hearing sounds more acutely.

• Emotional Release and Catharsis: The nature of the experience can be emotionally intense, leading to the release of suppressed emotions or catharsis. Some facilitators seem hell bent on pushing for this as a way to prove ‘efficacy’ but catharsis without integration creates either a repeating pattern of seeking more and more catharsis just to ‘feel good’ or worse, leaves a person bewildered and confused in a “what just happened” kind of a way, which has potential dissociative resonance to shock trauma states thus creating more likelihood of re-traumatisation.

• Changes in Awareness and Cognition: Individuals may experience altered thinking patterns, enhanced introspection, and a sense of detachment from ordinary reality. Sometimes this can be helpful and is akin to pattern interruption as we shift our default mode network into new and unknown places creating a movement towards better neuroplasticity for expanded awareness.

In practices like Holotropic Breathwork and other forms of connected breathing such as those we offer at Seven Directions® Breathwork, these physiological and psychological changes may be harnessed to facilitate deep psychological exploration.

The induced altered states can help participants access unconscious material, similar to what might be experienced under the influence of psychedelics and whilst this isn’t the ‘goal’, it may be a useful by-product as the experience can be therapeutic, thus allowing for the release of repressed emotions and the integration of unconscious material into conscious awareness. You can now being to see that where integration and experience is lacking, people may be left with a serious re-traumatisation or lack of ability to process their experience.

It is important to add that this is EXACTLY why comprehensive training and an understanding of some of the scientific aspects of how breathwork impacts and effects consciousness are so important. On a physical level, we don't want to be putting anybody at risk, and on a mental-emotional level we certainly don't want to be further embedding any trauma.

Make sure you ask your facilitator enough questions about their own training and understanding so that you can really feel that you are stepping into a well held space. There are never any guarantees in this work and of course we are all agents of our own choices, but lack of information creates serious breaches in this wonderful work, and contrary to some opinion, it's not "just breathing so what harm can it do?” It’s deep, rich and potent work so take care of your needs and look for properly trained facilitators.

We’d love to know what reading this has brought up for you? Leave us a comment!

©Steph Magenta for Seven Directions® Breathwork - July 2024