Do Psychedelics Make You More Creative? What Science Says About Connectedness, Creativity, and Wellbeing

Introduction: Blending rigorous scientific inquiry with a nuanced appreciation for the creative mind, this article by Steve Elfrink from OmTerra and Webdelics Subject Matter Expert, offers a clear-eyed exploration of how psychedelic experiences may influence creativity, connectedness, and wellbeing. Drawing on the latest empirical research, it guides readers through the psychological mechanisms—like enhanced self-connectedness and openness to new ideas—that may underlie the creative boost reported by psychedelic users. With a focus on real-world creative activities and the subtle interplay between inner experience and outward expression, this piece empowers you to understand the science behind psychedelics’ creative potential and invites thoughtful reflection on how altered states might shape both personal growth and artistic innovation.

Introduction

If you've ever wondered whether psychedelics can really make you more creative, you're not alone. As someone fascinated by the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and creativity, I’ve been following the research on this topic with keen interest. A recent study published in PLOS ONE dives deep into this question, exploring not just whether psychedelic users are more creative, but also why that might be the case—hint: it’s all about feeling connected.
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The Study: Who Was Involved and What Did They Do?

Researchers surveyed 326 adults—187 psychedelic users and 139 non-users. The participants completed a battery of tasks and questionnaires measuring:

• Divergent thinking (the ability to generate many original ideas)
• Real-life creative activities and achievements
• Sense of connectedness (to self, others, and the world)
• Experience of meaningful coincidences (synchronicity)
• Life satisfaction and emotional wellbeing
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The psychedelic users weren’t just casual experimenters; most had used classic psychedelics (like LSD or psilocybin) multiple times, and the vast majority described their experiences as positive. The study controlled for differences in age, gender, education, and mental health diagnoses, making the findings more robust.
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Key Findings: Psychedelics, Connectedness, and Creativity

1. Psychedelic Users Feel More Connected

Psychedelic users reported a significantly higher sense of connectedness—not just to themselves, but also to others and to the world. This wasn’t a small difference: the effect was strong and held up even after accounting for demographic differences.
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2. Higher Creative Potential

On creativity tests, psychedelic users generated more original ideas and a greater number of ideas overall (a measure called “fluency”). They also reported engaging in more creative activities in daily life, especially in music and science/engineering, although the difference in actual creative achievements (like published works or awards) was less pronounced.
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3. Connectedness Drives Creativity

Here’s where it gets really interesting: the sense of connectedness—especially to oneself—partially explained why psychedelic users scored higher on creativity. In other words, feeling more connected to your own thoughts, emotions, and experiences may be a key psychological reason why psychedelics can boost creative thinking.
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4. Meaningful Coincidences and Creativity

People who experienced more “meaningful coincidences” (think: synchronicity, or those uncanny moments when unrelated events seem deeply connected) also tended to be more creative and feel more connected. Psychedelic users reported slightly more of these experiences, suggesting that an openness to seeing connections where others might not could be another ingredient in the creativity mix.
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5. No Significant Boost in Life Satisfaction or Wellbeing

Despite the uptick in creativity and connectedness, psychedelic users didn’t report higher overall life satisfaction or emotional wellbeing compared to non-users. However, both creativity and connectedness were linked to greater life satisfaction and positive emotions across the whole sample.

Why Might Psychedelics Enhance Creativity?

• Biological factors: Psychedelics act on serotonin receptors, which influence mood and cognition.
• Pattern breaking: They can disrupt habitual patterns of thought, opening the door to new perspectives.
• Connectedness: Feeling more in tune with oneself and the world may foster the kind of flexible, integrative thinking that underpins creativity.}
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Limitations to Keep in Mind

This was a cross-sectional study, meaning it can’t prove causation. It’s possible that more creative or more connected people are simply more likely to try psychedelics in the first place. Also, the study didn’t measure personality traits like openness or curiosity, which are known to relate to both creativity and psychedelic use.

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The Takeaway

Psychedelic users, on average, feel more connected and show higher creative potential, especially in generating original ideas. This boost in creativity seems to be linked to a greater sense of connectedness, particularly to oneself. However, just taking psychedelics doesn’t guarantee more creative achievements or a happier life—those outcomes depend on many other factors.

If you’re curious about your own creativity, you might ask: How connected do you feel to yourself, others, and the world? And what practices—psychedelic or otherwise—help you nurture that sense of connection?

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This article is based on: Rominger C, Subow C (2025) "Feel connected to create: Self-reported psychedelic drug users exhibit higher sense of connectedness and better divergent thinking skills compared to non-users." PLOS ONE 20(4): e0320755.