Exploring the benefits of altered states of consciousness and reduced experiential avoidance for mental well-being: insights from a global study on high ventilation breathwork

More intense altered states during high-ventilation breathwork were associated with lower experiential avoidance and better reported mental well-being, but causality was not established.

In this cross-sectional, observational study using retrospective self-report data.Erdmann et al. (2026) examined the associations between altered states of consciousness (ASCs), experiential avoidance (EA), challenging experiences and mental well-being in a cross-sectional international online sample of 324 people who had participated in high-ventilation breathwork (HVB). More intense positively valenced altered states during the breathwork session were associated with lower experiential avoidance, with blissful states showing the most robust negative association with EA; however, the overall model explained only a small proportion of the variance.

Greater avoidant responses during the session were associated with lower post-session mental well-being and a lower belief that the session had produced lasting improvements in well-being. More intense ASCs were also significantly associated with higher post-session mental well-being, whereas more intense mentally challenging experiences were associated with lower mental well-being. Importantly, the study did not find evidence that experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between ASCs or challenging experiences and subsequent mental well-being, and EA was not significantly associated with emotional breakthrough.

The authors therefore conclude that intense ASCs and reduced experiential avoidance are associated with better mental well-being following HVB, but the proposed mechanism involving EA was not supported by the mediation analyses. Because the study was cross-sectional and relied on retrospective self-report of participants’ previous breathwork experiences, it cannot establish that HVB caused the observed changes or that reduced EA is responsible for improved well-being.

Abstract

Background:

Research suggests that high ventilation breathwork (HVB) improves mental health by reducing experiential avoidance (EA) through altered states of consciousness (ASCs). The present study examined whether EA during participants’ most recent breathwork session predicted mental well-being afterward. Additionally, the study examined the relationships between EA, ASCs, emotional breakthroughs, and mentally challenging experiences (e.g., negative emotions or thoughts) during the session and mental well-being afterward.

Methods:

This cross-sectional, international online study was conducted in German and English and included a final sample of N = 324 participants from 23 countries of residence. Participants reported on their most recent breathwork experience and completed validated questionnaires, including the APEQ-S, 11D-ASCs, EBI, and WEMWBS, as well as a self-developed challenging experiences scale. Multiple linear regressions and mediation analyses were conducted.

Results:

During the session, ASCs significantly predicted lower EA. In turn, lower EA during the session significantly predicted higher mental well-being after the session. Moreover, higher ASC ratings and lower ratings for challenging experiences significantly predicted higher mental well-being after the session. EA did not significantly predict emotional breakthroughs, nor did it mediate the relationships between ASCs or challenging experiences and mental well-being.

Conclusion:

Overall, the findings suggest that reduced EA and more intense ASCs during HVB enhance mental well-being. Blissful states within ASCs predicted lower EA, highlighting their potential in fostering openness and engagement during HVB.

Erdmann L, Breitenstein B, Badanova M, Telschow L, Havenith M and Dziobek I (2026) Exploring the benefits of altered states of consciousness and reduced experiential avoidance for mental well-being: insights from a global study on high ventilation breathwork. Front. Psychol. 17:1777341. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1777341 Read Paper

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