Shamanism: psychopathology and psychotherapy

ABSTRACT

The cross-cultural practice of shamanism reflects an innate capacity for altered states of consciousness (ASC’s) that are elicited by stress, deliberately sought in shamanic rituals, and associated with psychopathology. Shamanic sickness, animal transformation, and death-rebirth experiences specifically resemble psychotic experiences. The triggers of shamanic and psychotic experiences are also related, but while psychotic experiences endure and intensify under uncontrollable circumstances, shamanic sickness is ameliorated by ritualized and controlled engagement of ASC. Shamanic vocation, when and where it is culturally accepted, does not lead to progressive deterioration or dysfunction but rather to an increased functional capacity as expert healer, teacher, and ritual guide. Shamanic training methods, or other controlled and ritual methods of engaging ASC, may inform strategies for promoting mental well-being.

KEYWORDS:

• Altered states of consciousness
• bipolar disorder
• psychedelic
• psychosis
• psychotherapy
• ritual
• schizophrenia
• Shamanism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

All authors (AB, MJW and CLR) were involved in developing the conceptual framework for the article and in writing and editing the manuscript.

Notes

1 For updated variables, values, variable descriptions, coding instructions, and data see the Mendeley data repository at https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/34pjbr4kg4/2

2 https://d-place.org/contributions/SCCS

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided to CLR via the Mary Sue and Mike Shannon Distinguished Chair for Healthy Minds, Children and Families and to AB via an academic scholarship from Usona Institute. The funders had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.