[Opgelost] Ego death during psilocybin therapy session needed?

The term ego death often sparks both curiosity and confusion for those considering psychedelic therapy. But why has this experience become such a central theme in the world of psychedelics, especially in the context of a psilocybin session?

What is ego death exactly?

Ego death refers to the temporary dissolution of the sense of a separate self. In this state, the awareness of “I” disappears, and one may feel completely merged with their environment, nature, or the universe. This typically occurs during higher trip levels, like trip level 5, which Triptherapie only recommends for those who are fully prepared. During such a phase, the inner voice of self-criticism, shame, or fear becomes silent — allowing space for profound insights, unconditional acceptance, and a sense of loving connection.

Is ego death necessary for healing with psilocybin?

The short answer is: no, it’s not necessary, but it can be a powerful catalyst.

Ego dissolution can be highly effective for clients struggling with deep-rooted depression, trauma, or addiction. In this state, all mental defenses drop, and the subconscious becomes fully accessible. Old pain, limiting beliefs, or negative self-images can surface, be processed, and released. It’s like observing yourself from a distance — without judgment. This opens a unique opportunity to rewire deeply ingrained patterns.

On our forum, a powerful example is shared of an elderly woman who broke through 20 years of depression after a single deep psilocybin session — including an ego death experience. She described it as a rebirth, after which life suddenly felt like “an 8 out of 10.” Stories like this illustrate how transformative ego dissolution can be in some cases.

Should you always aim for trip level 5?

No. Not everyone benefits from a heroic dose. For many, the greatest insights occur just before full ego dissolution — where there is still some sense of direction and conscious introspection is possible. Levels like trip 3 or 4 allow access to the subconscious while still maintaining a level of control, making it easier to work with themes like self-image, fears, or relational patterns. Especially for first-timers, it’s wiser to start here.

Sometimes we advise against jumping straight into an ego death experience if you have no prior experience with psychedelics. It can be confronting and overwhelming. The timing, your preparation, mindset, physical health, and most importantly the guidance — all play a crucial role. What matters most is what you need, not what sounds the most intense or mystical.

Conclusion

Ego death is a profound state that can lead to deep healing during a truffle session or truffle ceremony, particularly for those stuck in destructive patterns. But it is by no means a required goal. The key is tailoring the experience to your unique context, needs, and intentions. If you want to explore what might work best for you, feel free to complete the Triptherapie intake. It’s a thoughtful first step toward your personalized journey.

Why “ego death” gets so much attention

Within psychedelic science, “ego death” (often called ego dissolution) describes a temporary loosening or loss of the usual sense of “me”—boundaries soften, self-referential thinking quiets, and people often report a feeling of unity or connectedness. Because this facet of the experience can be profound and memorable, it draws outsized attention in media and subcultures. Researchers actually measure it with validated tools like the Ego Dissolution Inventory (EDI), which reliably captures this specific state and distinguishes it from other drug effects.

A key reason ego dissolution is discussed so much is historical and empirical: modern clinical trials repeatedly find that “mystical-type” or self-transcendent experiences during dosing days tend to predict stronger and more durable improvements in anxiety, depression and quality of life—especially in life-threatening illness and major depression studies. For example, two landmark randomized trials in cancer-related distress (Johns Hopkins and NYU) found that the intensity of mystical-type experience statistically mediated the treatment’s benefits weeks to months later. In other words, people who had more of this experience tended to improve more.

What the brain research suggests

Brain-imaging work with psilocybin and LSD shows patterns that align with ego dissolution reports. Under these drugs, activity and connectivity in “top-down” self-referential control hubs—especially the default mode network (DMN)—decrease or reorganize, while global communication between normally segregated networks increases. These shifts correlate with ratings of ego dissolution in the scanner. Conceptually, the REBUS model (“relaxed beliefs under psychedelics”) proposes that psychedelics transiently relax rigid, high-level priors, allowing bottom-up information (including emotions and memories) to be processed with less defensive filtering.

Is ego death required to benefit?

Short answer: no. The correlation between ego dissolution/mystical-type experiences and outcomes does not mean they’re required. Other therapeutic “active ingredients” also predict improvement:

• Emotional breakthrough—facing and releasing difficult emotions—has been validated as a distinct construct, and higher scores on the Emotional Breakthrough Inventory predict better outcomes after psychedelic sessions. 
• Psychological flexibility/acceptance and connectedness—processes central to modern psychotherapy models like ACT—appear to mediate benefits across studies and qualitative follow-ups. Patients often describe moving from avoidance to acceptance and from disconnection to connection after psilocybin. These changes can occur even without a full “ego death.”

Put differently: ego dissolution is one pathway to therapeutic change, but not the only one. Modern depression trials with psilocybin show large, rapid antidepressant effects; while self-transcendent experience can enhance odds of response, meaningful gains are also seen in participants who report insight, acceptance, emotional processing, and renewed engagement with life without a classic ego-death peak. 

Dose, set, and setting matter more than chasing a specific state

Ego dissolution becomes more likely at higher doses of psilocybin in supportive conditions, but it is not guaranteed, and it’s not a performance target. Preparation, trust in the guides, music, eyeshades, and a safe environment shape the experience as much as milligrams do. A well-designed dose-response study in healthy volunteers showed that higher (e.g., 20–30 mg/70 kg) sessions more often occasion mystical-type experiences; still, a significant minority had challenging or non-mystical experiences at the same doses.

Risks of over-focusing on “ego death”

Over-valuing a specific outcome can create pressure, disappointment, or unsafe choices (“I need more to get there”). Challenging experiences are not rare at meaningful doses and can include fear, confusion, or panic; in large surveys of difficult psilocybin experiences, a subset reported enduring anxiety or low mood for days to weeks. Careful screening, dosing, and support reduce risks, but they do not eliminate them—particularly for people with histories of psychosis or bipolar I disorder, who are typically excluded from trials. 

So…why do many people pursue it—and should you?

People pursue ego dissolution because, for some, stepping outside the usual sense of self unlocks forgiveness, grief, awe, or a felt sense of connection that had seemed unreachable. The science supports that such self-transcendent peaks often track with bigger clinical gains—but the field is increasingly recognizing multiple therapeutic routes: emotional catharsis, meaning-making, acceptance, and behavior change after the session. Your aim should be readiness and openness, not a specific trophy state.

Practical takeaways

If you’re using psilocybin therapeutically, focus on clear intentions, psychological safety, and integration. Let whatever arises—whether it’s quiet self-compassion, a deep cry, or a boundary-melting peak—be met with curiosity and support. That approach is consistent with both the clinical data and modern models of how psychedelics help.