Motivation and emotion/Book/2023/Ego death

Ego death:
What is ego death, what are its consequences, and how can it be facilitated?

Multimedia presentation (3 min)

Overview

Case study - The following is a case study demonstrating the result of ego death through the use of psychedelics. Ego Death is used to describe a phenomena where an individual experiences the loss of self-identity and ego. A participant named John volunteered to use psychedelic for the first time as apart of a therapeutic session. John consumed psilocybin in a controlled environment with a trained therapist present. During the therapeutic session John experienced ego dissolution. He explained this as being free with no sense of self and feeling one with universe. Pre-therapy session John would experience anxiety. Post-therapy John integrated his experience into his daily life and articulated it a re-evaluation of life and his existence. John claims that this helped his anxiety. Multiple case studies regarding the use of psychedelics have been reported as positively transformative and profound regarding the ego death.

Ego death whilst often described as a profound and transformative experience, is not without its potential problems and challenges. This is often occurs during the initial period of confusion and disorientation that comes with ego dissolution. Individuals may require processing time in order to reconstruct their identity and rebuild a stable sense of self. When going through the journey of ego-dissolution, intense emotions are expected. These emotions can be both positive and negative. The spiritual growth that usually accompanies ego death can be profound. Individuals develop a heightened sense of awareness and interconnectedness with all living beings. This tends to impact the lives of individuals holistically and indefinitely. As they may aim to live more authentically and in alignment with their new found insight. This usually means becoming less concerned with societal expectations and more focused on inner fulfilment.

Achieving ego dissolution and ultimately ego death is a long journey and not an easy accomplishment to reach. The recent ease of restrictions around research into the use of psychedelics in relation to ego-dissolution and ego death has been groundbreaking. As it has provided an opportunity to achieve ego death in a more simple and unprecedented way. Research suggests that psychedelic experiences degrades the binding processes connected with our sense of self and enables the individual to experience cognition not bound by self-models. Resulting in a profound spiritual experience (Hennighausen et., 2004)

Focus questions: What is ego death? What is an ego? What is ego-dissolution? Understanding the ego death experience? - What do people experience when they experience ego death? How can ego death be utilised in psychological practice? - How can it be facilitated? What are the advantages of ego death? What are the disadvantages (consequences) of ego death? What are the consequences?

Ego death

What is an ego?

Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche was the first interpretation of the ego (Figure 1). Freud's psychoanalytic theory has three distinct sub-categories: the id, ego and super-ego. These three categories are what Freud used to describe the basic structures of mental life. The id represents the instinctual desires individuals experience. The super-ego represents societal and critical moral constraints. Whilst the ego is responsible for mediating between these two constructs and managing reality.

Figure 1. Signmund Freud's structural iceberg of the components of the ego

The id mainly operates on an unconscious level whilst the super-ego can alternate between conscious and unconscious, with the ego remaining primarily conscious, given it is responsible for the day to day decisions and problem solving processes of life. This part of the identity engages with the external world and interacts with others. A useful analogy for explaining this structural model is as follows: Think of the id as the younger child who has an impulsive desire to throw a party whilst their parents are away. The super-ego is the oldest child who is responsible and aims to maintain control and uphold values. In this dynamic, the ego is the middle child who takes on the role of the mediator, striving to obtain a balance between these conflicting objectives. [1]

According to Jane Loevinger, an American psychologist in the 20th Century, there is precisely nine stages of the ego development. These stages are broken into pre-social (infancy), impulsive, self-protective, conformist, self-aware, conscientious, individualistic, autonomous and integrated.

The Pre-Social (infancy) stage is when a baby is at the mercy of the world around them and has no ego to speak of, as it still identifies themselves with their caregiver. A baby resembles a very id-like ego where its main focus is to gratify their immediate needs.

The Impulsive stage is when toddlers are driven by their unregulated emotions and validate these emotions through desiring instant gratification. With no real awareness of the past, future or how their actions can influence their surroundings.

The Self-protective stage is when a child (early and middle childhood) begin to develop self control. The self-protective ego is more cognitively sophisticated than the impulsive ego. Their goal is to simply get what they want without getting caught. An individual is more calculated than impulsive at this stage, but still with the same desire to achieve their wants. Research using Loevinger's sentence completion test have shown that a high level of juveniles and inmates are at this stage of ego development.

Freud explains the Conformist stage is when the super-ego first emerges, around five or six, and most commonly stays until high school. This ego is very driven by belonging and obtaining the approval of peers.

The Self-aware stage is most common amongst adults. It is when the ego increases in self awareness and their surroundings. They begin to question their existence and life around them, not necessarily reaching conclusive answers to these questions. They begin to define who is the 'real them' versus the 'expected version of them'. They no longer are conforming and as a result begin to find themselves.

The Consciousness stage is is an extension of self-evaluation and pursuit of a higher purpose. The conscientious ego places importance on responsibility, accomplishments and a higher meaning of life. Personal principles form the basis of its moral compass and conduct is steered by self-assessed standards. Consequently, violating these standards induces cognitive dissonance and guilt. This differs greatly from the conformist stage where shame may arise from what others expect, in contrast to guilt arising from not meeting their own expectations.

Loevinger goes on to explain how the three preceding stages are the most common amongst adults. The following three are very hard concepts to grasp as most adults never get there.

The Individualistic stage values relationships. The individualistic ego is concerned with respecting the autonomy of themselves and others. The heightened individuality can result in distinctive way of self-expression and can create inner tension between desires, thoughts and emotions.

The Autonomous stage is when one's respect for their own autonomy and the autonomy of others is paramount. The autonomous ego thrives for individuality and self-actualisation. They prioritise surrounding themselves with individuals who also respect their own autonomy, the autonomy of others and appreciate an interdependent system of mutual support.

The Integrated stage is when empathy is radiated towards oneself and others. The integrated ego has a full sense of identity with the universe and everything as one, suggesting that only 1% of adults are able to reach this stage (Sandeep Gautam, 2019).

What is ego death?

Ego death is used to describe a phenomena where an individual experiences the complete loss of ego and subjective identity.

Joseph Campbell throughout his research on mythology goes on tho explain the ego death as a phase of self-surrender and transition. [2]

One can experience this loss of ego temporarily through the use if psychedelics and astral projections. Ego death has been likened to 'trances' experienced through the consumption of drugs or religious ceremonies such as Muslim Sufis when they preform fana (annihilation). Fana means 'to die before one dies', which is interesting given the origin of the term 'ego death'. [3]

Ultimately ego death is the realisation that you are no longer a part of the construct that you have associated yourself with, nor the self-image and the ego you have created in your thoughts, leading to the belief of a false sense of self. One loses their sense of self by cultivating a deep sense of awareness. Whilst this may sound counterintuitive, when working through Loevinger's stages of the ego, this is almost reaching the integrated ego where one can start to lose all self identity and simply surrender to what is a higher integrated existence. (Lebedev et., 2015)

What is Ego death:

	The state of knowing myself
	The complete loss of identity

What is ego dissolution?

This 'Ego Death' is further characterised by a dissolution of the norms that typically seperate an individual from their external world and universe. This can occur through gradual life experiences over a long period of time (such as meditation or religious practices) or through a sudden intense experience (such as a near death encounter or use of psychedelics). (Sleight & et., 2023)

Prior to ego dissolution, an individual will enter an alternative state of awareness, achieved through any of the avenues mentioned above. This is when the ego dissolves. Given the ego governs their identity, once the ego is gone, consequently so will one's identity. If unprepared, this experience can be very impactful to an individual. Nonetheless, it has been reported that the experience of ego death stays with an individual after returning back to a normal state of awareness. (Masterclass, 2023)

Understanding the ego death experience

Understanding the ego death experience is complex and is not fully understood yet. However, recent studies suggests that psychedelic experiences degrades the binding processes connected with our sense of self and enables the individual to experience cognition not bound by self-models. Binding is a psychological theory that describes the integration around cohesive experiences on a neural and cognitive level. This processing theory is a collation of all subjective individual experiences that one obtains throughout their life.[4] Humans continually bind their experiences and as a result form neural and cognitive connections. Self-binding is when humans cognitively bind information together that is relevant to their sense of self. Meta-analyses data reinforces the findings that 'there is enhanced neural coupling for self-processing, this occurs between the anterior cingulate and other areas of the brain including the bilateral anterior insula, left striatum, right thalamus and amygdala'.(Jie Sui, et., 2015)

The use of psychedelics has been found to unbind these pre-existing processes and neural coupling all together and allows for a complete shift in reality. This breakdown of an individuals self is the beginning of ego dissolution. Ego death is end state of when the individual has worked through this shift and re-formed themselves completely. (Gerrans, 2017)

What does ego death feel like?

Ego death encounters can vary in perception from one individual to another. Whilst some may experience a blissful state of ecstasy others may have a very traumatic experience. This can be described through 4 stages:

The first stage being spiritual awakening. Regardless of whether the experience was good or bad, a spiritual awakening of some sorts is experienced.

The second stage is known as the dark night of the soul and this is where it can become traumatic for some if emotionally and mentally unprepared. As individuals start to question their entire reality and existence, where this can either be enlightening or can be completely shattering.

The third stage is exploration and curiosity this is where the individual can start to look for answers to those questions that arose from enlightenment. During this quest for answers and depending on what the individual finds, this new information will be life changing, either positively or negatively.

The fourth stage is soul growth and enlightenment where the new reality of the individual begins to set in. Once again depending on the individual and their experience thus far, an individual may become enlightened in a way in which could be earth shattering or totally uplifting. (Wellender, 2022)

Figure 2. Molecular compound for Psilocybin

How can ego death be facilitated and utilised in psychological practices as therapy

Ego Death can be facilitated as a form of therapy through the consumption of psychedelic's in a controlled environment or through other avenues such as astral projection or religious ceremonies (Jennifer Rindfleish, 2007). Psychedelics are the one of the easiest way to achieve an 'ego death' experience. Many psychologist have been using psychedelics as apart of their practice and have been seeing phenomenal results.

The use of psychedelics is a great way to help break down barriers and inhibitions that individuals have obtained throughout the many stages of Loevinger's explanation of the ego. It almost appears like psychedelics shoot past all the stages of these ego development stages to reach the ultimate enlightening experience. Ego death is clearly a very useful and powerful concept when harnessed properly and can be beneficial in the field of psychology to promote healing.

Disadvantages and advantages of ego death

What are the advantages?

Ego death is a powerful experience that results in profound personal transformation. It propels individuals to let go of their original sense of self, attachments and fears, unlocking a newfound sense of freedom that affects every facet of their lives. This transformative journey cultivates an environment that allows for greater self clarity and frees individuals from their past patterns, behaviours and traumas. Providing an euphoric sense of peace, enlightenment and pure bliss.

The unlocking and exploration into previously uncharted facets of one's inner self, opens doors to unparalleled personal development and growth, driven by the invaluable insight gained. This existential experience is the catalyst to an enriched life. (Hauser, 2020)

What are the disadvantages?

As one approaches the culmination of ego dissolution, they enter an altered state of consciousness. This marks the initiation of the transformative process. Ego dissolution is a complete disintegration of one's sense of self. This disintegration is a result of the unravelling of years of individual experiences and connections that have accumulated over the years. If not coupled with emotional stability and support, this can be an incredibly disorientating process and may prove to be overwhelming. (Jennifer Rindfleish, 2015)

The unveiling of years' worth of repressed thoughts, emotions and unresolved trauma is an integral part of this journey. However, if these aspects resurface too quickly, individuals may struggle to process them adequately, which may result in adverse psychological effects. Such experiences can result in a traumatic effect that may negatively impact an individual's overall perspective on life

It is possible that one may also experience the anxiety stages of death as a form of grieving as they mourn the loss of their former self. When combined with the loss of identity, this can be profoundly challenging and if not managed appropriately may required years of recovery. Motivation and emotion/Book/2019/Death anxiety stages

Conclusion

Ego death represents a profound and transformative experience, where individuals can lose their sense of self and ego. The ego, which refers to one's identity and self-binding experiences, dissolves during this process, resulting in a loss of identity. Typically induced through the use of psychedelics or intense meditation. This physical process is unique to each individual, but its neural and cognitive aspects appear to be consistent across patients.

Ego dissolution occurs as an individual unravels their sense of self and subjective life experiences, allowing them to redefine their perceptions and their word. This is often described as a euphoric spiritual experience with long-lasting psychological effects.

Given its psychological potential, ego death is a expanding area of psychological research and exploration. It is currently being utilised in psychological practices, often through the use of psychedelics, as a treatment for various psychological issues. However, it is important to note that this treatment has both advantages such as euphoric enlightenment and personal growth, as well as disadvantages including the resurfacing of repressed trauma and emotions.

Such considerations are important to consider when both, utilising this treatment and for future research.

See also

1. Id, ego and super ego [5]
2. Ego death [6]
3. Death anxiety stages Motivation and emotion/Book/2019/Death anxiety stages
4. Neural binding [7]

References

# Jennifer Rindfleish, 2007, February 27, THE “DEATH OF THE EGO” IN EAST-MEETS-WEST SPIRITUALITY: DIVERSE VIEWS FROM PROMINENT AUTHORS, Wiley online library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9744.2006.00805.x

1. Benjamin Sandler, 2015, Dying before death to truly live: Therapeutic implications of the ego death experience for the treatment of death anxiety, Pro Quest. https://www.proquest.com/openview/b28a314b52e88973cf3a21be569c419b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
2. Fiona Sleight, Steven Jay Lynn, Richard Mattson, Charlie McDonald, 2023 May, A novel ego dissolution scale: A construct validation study, Science direct. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053810023000119
3. Chris Letheby, Phillip Gerrans, 2017 June 30, Self unbound: ego dissolution in psychedelic experience, PubMed, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6007152/
4. Ada Kalunza, Marco Schlosser, Emily Gulil, 2022, September 16, Being no one, being One: The role of ego-dissolution and connectedness in the therapeutic effects of psychedelic experience, akjournals, https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2054/6/2/article-p111.xml
5. Klara Wellander, 2022, Prescribed ego-death: the therapeutic effects found in the psychedelic-Induced absence of self, DiVa, https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1690149&dswid=484
6. S. Hauser, 2020, Ego development, Science Direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/ego-development
7. Katherina Henninghausen, Stuart Hauser, 2004 February 24, Adolescent Ego-Development Trajectories and Young Adult Relationship Outcomes, PubMed, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1847419/
8. Alexander Lebedev, Martin Lovden, Gidon Rosenthal, Amanda Fielding, David J Nutt, Robin L Carhart-Harris, 2015, August, Finding the self by losing the self: Neural correlates of ego-dissolution under psilocybin, PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26010878/
9. Jie Suim Glyn W Humphreys, 2015 December 19, The Integrative Self: How Self-Reference Integrates Perception and Memory, PubMed, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26447060/

External links

1. Masterclass, 2023, February 16, What is Ego Death? 3 stages of ego death experiences. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-ego-death
2. Sandeep Gautam, The mouse trap, 2019, Ego Development : the nine stages theory of Loevinger. https://the-mouse-trap.com/2007/12/24/ego-devlopment-the-nine-stages-theory-of-loevinger/