Effect Categories - Transpersonal States

Transpersonal states are defined as any subjective state that feels as if it alters a person's cognition in a manner that relates to their place in the universe, the inner workings of reality or consciousness, and/or the context of their existence. The highest manifestations of these effects fall under what are commonly known as "peak", "transcendent", "mystical", or "transformative" experiences.

These effects are typically associated with high dose psychedelic or dissociative experiences. They can occur regardless of the person's spiritual or religious beliefs and often have a distinct and lasting impact on the user's perspective of the world around them. During the experience of a substance-induced transpersonal state, the information conveyed is often felt to be a real and objective truth. However, the person will sometimes come to disagree with these supposed "epiphanies" once the effects of the substance have worn off.

The majority of effects listed within this category are largely relevant to the qualitative questions included within the Mystical Experiences Questionare, a well established series of 30 standardized questions that has been developed as a scientific criteria for measuring the presence and intensity of hallucinogen induced mystical experiences.

It should also be noted that these mind-states are the least reproducible of all effects within the Subjective Effect Index. Simply taking more of a given substance does not necessarily increase the chances of having these states occur. Instead, they seem to rely more on contextual factors, such as the person's set and setting.

This page lists the various transpersonal effects that can occur under the influence of certain psychoactive compounds.


  • Ego death

    Ego death (also known as ego suppression, ego loss or ego dissolution) is the temporary experience of a partial to complete disruption of a person's sense of self, which often results in a range of profound changes to how the person perceives and interprets their otherwise usually stable sense of identity, agency, and self-hood.

  • Existential self-realization

    Existential self-realization can be described as a sudden realization, revelation, or reaffirmation of a person's existence within this universe. Existential self-realization is most commonly induced under the influence of moderate dosages of psychedelic and dissociative compounds such as ketamine, LSD, 4-AcO-DMT, and DCK.

  • Perception of eternalism

    Perception of eternalism can be described as the experience of a major alteration of one's perspective of the fundamental mechanics behind the linear continuity of time moving from the past, to the present, to the future. It is most commonly induced under the influence of heavy dosages of psychedelic compounds, such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline.

  • Perception of interdependent opposites

    Perception of interdependent opposites can be described as the experience of a powerful subjective feeling that reality is based upon a binary system in which the existence of fundamentally important concepts or situations logically arise from and depend upon the co-existence of their opposite. It is most commonly induced under the influence of heavy dosages of psychedelic compounds, such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline.

  • Perception of predeterminism

    Perception of predeterminism can be described as the sensation that all physical and mental processes are the result of prior causes, that every event and choice is an inevitable outcome that could not have happened differently, and that all of reality is a complex causal chain that can be traced back to the beginning of time. It is most commonly induced under the influence of heavy dosages of psychedelic compounds, such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline.

  • Perception of self-design

    Perception of self-design can be described as the experience of feeling that one is personally responsible for the creation, design, manifestation of a concept, process, or event which is normally seen as the result of unrelated external causes. It is most commonly induced under the influence of heavy dosages of psychedelic compounds, such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline.

  • Spirituality enhancement

    Spirituality enhancement can be described as the experience of a shift in a person’s personal beliefs regarding their existence and place within the universe, their relationship to others, and what they value as meaningful in life. It is most commonly induced under the influence of moderate dosages of psychedelic compounds, such as LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline.

  • Unity and interconnectedness

    Unity and interconnectedness refers to a feeling in which one's sense of self becomes temporarily expanded to include one or more concepts or systems that would not typically be included within one’s sense of individual identity. It most commonly occurs under the influence of psychedelic and dissociative compounds, such as LSD, DMT, ayahuasca, mescaline, and ketamine.