Abstract
Background
Psychiatry has long maintained an ambivalent relationship with religion and spirituality, often acknowledging their relevance while remaining cautious about clinical engagement.
Objectives
This article examines the historical, conceptual, and clinical tensions surrounding spirituality in psychiatry and explores how contemporary psychedelic research has renewed attention to meaning and transcendence.
Discussion
We examine definitions, nosology, and evidence linking spirituality and meaning within psychiatry. We explore how psychedelic-assisted therapies highlight both therapeutic potential and ethical risks in addressing existential suffering.
Conclusion
Psychiatry faces a challenging opportunity to integrate spiritual dimensions of distress without compromising scientific integrity, shaping its future relationship with the sacred.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
