Psychedelic effects from psychobiology to the phenomenological stream of consciousness

Abstract

In this paper, I discuss psychedelic assumptions by comparing their psychobiological effect with phenomenological analyses of the stream of consciousness. In the first section of the paper, I suggest not dealing with altered states of consciousness to clarify how phenomenology can address psychedelic research. Then, I introduce the concept of body and psyche, by extending the body (Leib) to the entire nervous system (Körper). I suggest that such an interpretation allows us to contextualize psychedelic effects within a phenomenological framework. By introducing the concept of the stream of consciousness, it becomes possible to ask how a psychobiological event can interact with such a complex level of phenomenological analysis. I introduce phenomenological investigation of the sense of reality and beliefs to explain such a theoretical point. Finally, I use these premises to discuss the effect of low-moderate doses of psychedelics on change of personality, by focusing on emotion regulation by observing both the neuroscientific and the phenomenological perspectives.