“And then integration is vital. It’s taking the meaning and helping them take this experience, whether it was agonizing, or whether it was ecstasy, but helping them put language to it, helping them make meaning of it, helping them integrate it into their lives so that they can make those changes they need to make to heal.”
One potential use of psychedelics is to help change habits, behaviors, or other components of your lifestyle. If this is your intention, integration is critical.
The leading hypothesis for how psychedelic substances lead to change is they help create an altered state of consciousness which, to some degree, persists after the psychedelic experience. It is possible to think about this in terms of both the mind and the brain.
It is no surprise that psychonauts report a variety of effects on the mind both during and after a psychedelic experience. This can include insight, visualizations, emotional changes, openness to experience, ego dissolution, and more. A change in mindset can be particularly impactful for those seeking to make lifestyle changes. It can help us process feelings, connect more to others, change our relationship to habits, or become more flexible. Some also warn that this very flexibility and openness can create the risk of negative new behavior changes--which is yet more reason to take integration seriously and treat these experiences with respect and intentionality.
In the brain, different substances act in various different ways. Research on the impact of drugs on the brain is ongoing, and there is still so much we have yet to learn that remains unexplored. Most researchers agree that the psychedelic effect on neuroplasticity is important. At risk of simplifying what is indeed quite complicated, the psychedelic experience can increase neuroplasticity, allowing for the formation of new connections and pathways. This increase in neuroplasticity appears to persist in the days and weeks following the experience.
For this reason, the period directly following a psychedelic experience--the period where we are most encouraged to engage in integration, can be a period that helps us institute lifestyle changes. We can explore how our behaviors, habits, emotions, and more resonate with the lifestyle we want to lead, and consider the changes we can make to improve our quality of life.
Of course, you may want some support.
Three sources of support for those seeking to integrate lifestyle changes
As you approach lifestyle change during integration, start simple. Try one of the following changes that have been tried and tested by many psychonauts before you:
- Give up a habit that no longer serves you
- Add a mindfulness practice to your daily or weekly routine
- Give of your time and energy through community service
Those working in the field of psychedelic health have long championed the importance of integration. All or nearly all protocols acknowledge that the period after the psychedelic experience is both important and vulnerable.
Integrating intentionally, perhaps incorporating various aspects of the Synthesized Model of Integration can help support those seeking changes in their lifestyle. To learn more visit the MAPS Integration Station or plan or start your integration with the MAPS Integration Workbook.
Need Help Getting Started?
The MAPS Integration Workbook provides exercises, practices, and structure that you can use and customize to help you build a holistic approach to your integration journey.
