How Psychedelics Shape the Experience of Catastrophic Events

Key points

Nova Festival survivors who were under the influence of psychedelics challenge theories about dissociation..

During the attack, survivors found that the psychedelic state “switched off,” replaced by heightened focus..

Once suvivors reaching relative safety, however, the psychedelic experience often flooded back.

Psychedelics temporarily destabilize brains, changing how trauma is experienced and considered afterwards

The horrific October 7, 2023, attack at the Nova Music Festival in Israel represents a tragic but important moment in the history of trauma research. For the first time, a major mass-casualty terror event occurred when most victims were under the influence of psychoactive substances.

This convergence of psychedelic intoxication and extreme trauma generated a ra