At Vital Reset, we’re often contacted by people who have had a powerful or even overwhelming psychedelic experience—sometimes months or years ago—and are still trying to make sense of it. Some describe a deep spiritual awakening. Others describe confusion, fear, or a sense that reality itself has shifted. A new study published in PLOS One helps explain why this happens—and how people eventually find their footing again.
The study, titled “Navigating Groundlessness,” explored what researchers call ontological shock—a profound disorientation about reality and existence that can follow a psychedelic experience. Researchers from the University of Exeter, NYU, and Imperial College London interviewed 26 people who had experienced long-term existential distress after psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca, and DMT.
When the Ground Gives Way
Participants described feeling as if the foundations of their world had suddenly dissolved. Some questioned who they were. Others felt disconnected from their bodies, from time, or from reality itself. Common themes included fear of insanity, confusion, derealization, loss of meaning, and grief for one’s “old self.” Many reported trauma-like symptoms—flashbacks, anxiety, nightmares, and panic.
One participant said, “I couldn’t figure out who I was anymore. I just stuck to my routine to keep some sense of structure.” Another described the sensation as “being a ghost somehow… I was there but also I was not there.”
While media stories about psychedelics often focus on breakthroughs and healing, this research highlights something equally important: transformation can sometimes feel like disintegration before it becomes growth.
If you’ve experienced something like this, you might find our Integration Support helpful. It explains how to work with these experiences safely and rebuild stability afterward, and how to get involved in our free Integration Circles.
How People Recovered
Most participants eventually found their way back to stability—but not by thinking their way out. The most helpful tools were grounding practices that reconnected them to the body and present moment. Body-based practices such as yoga, time in nature, trauma release exercises, music, and art all helped people reinhabit their lives.
One participant said, “I picked up the guitar. That practice saved my life. My heart soared, my mind quieted down. I felt grounded.”
Social connection also matters. Feeling seen, heard, and believed by friends or community members was deeply healing. Many found relief in learning that others had gone through similar struggles—something we emphasize in our preparation and integration process.
Interestingly, some people found that trying too hard to make intellectual sense of the experience—researching, analyzing, or chasing spiritual explanations—only made things worse. Letting go of the need to understand everything allowed peace to return.
The Role of Integration
The researchers describe these difficult experiences as part of a larger process of integration—the way people make sense of and stabilize after a major shift in consciousness. Integration can be challenging, especially for those without a supportive framework. In traditional or ceremonial settings, cultural and spiritual structures help people process what they’ve experienced. In modern Western contexts, people are often left to navigate alone.
At Vital Reset, we see this gap every day. A psilocybin journey can open vast new perspectives, but what happens afterward determines whether it becomes transformation. That’s why our work includes preparation, integration, and compassionate grounding support led by experienced Oregon-licensed facilitators.
The Takeaway
This study reminds us that psychedelics are not automatically healing. They are amplifiers—of everything within us. They can bring immense clarity, but also confusion. The difference lies in the support, preparation, and integration that surround the experience.
If you’ve had a difficult or confusing journey, you’re not alone—and it doesn’t mean something went wrong. Healing often begins not by escaping the groundlessness, but by learning to stand within it. You can schedule a conversation about your own journey on our Contact Page.
Author’s Note:
Written by Heidi Venture, co-founder of Vital Reset Psilocybin Service Center in Hood River, Oregon. Heidi is a licensed psilocybin facilitator and the author of Psilocybin in America: Real Healing for Real People. She speaks nationally about safe, legal access to psilocybin and the importance of integration after profound experiences.
