Abstract

References to an ‘inner healing intelligence’ or an intrinsic healing mechanism are commonplace amongst psychedelic drug using cultures. The notion of the ‘inner healer’ refers to the belief that psychedelic compounds or concoctions have an intrinsically regenerative action on the mind and brain, analogous to intrinsic healing mechanisms within the physical body e.g., after sickness or injury.

Here, we present that inner healer scores after a single high dose of psilocybin, and how these are associated with depressive symptomatology at post-dosing. Overall, we seek to highlight, examine, measure and critique this construct. Recognising that the notion invites pseudoscientific and transcendentalist musings, we take a positivist, pragmatic and naturalist stance on its potential validity, asking, should it be scientifically examined?