Mystical Minds: Exploring Spiritual and Quantum Dimensions of Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia
- Jay Getten
- Aug 28
- 17 min read
Discover how ancient philosophy, quantum physics, and global spiritual traditions converge to reshape our understanding of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Explore the connections between neurodiverse minds, altered states of consciousness, and humanity’s quest to unravel the mysteries of awareness.
Key Findings
Introduction
Throughout history, the experiences we now classify as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been understood through profoundly different lenses, from divine gifts to evolutionary adaptations, from shamanic calling to quantum consciousness phenomena. This comprehensive exploration bridges ancient wisdom with cutting-edge scientific research, revealing how spiritual traditions and modern physics converge in their understanding of these remarkable states of consciousness.
Across continents and cultures, people experience altered states of consciousness in ways that both challenge and enrich our view of mental health. From indigenous healers in Africa and Asia to philosophers in Europe, global perspectives on bipolar disorder and schizophrenia reveal the importance of respecting neurodiversity and spiritual meaning in healing.
Ancient Greek Foundations: From Divine Madness to Sacred Inspiration
Plato's Revolutionary Understanding of Mania
The philosophical foundations for viewing altered mental states as divine rather than pathological trace back to ancient Greece, where Socrates and Plato conceptualized mania as a sacred phenomenon. As documented by the International Bipolar Foundation, Plato distinguished between two fundamental types of mania: one arising from bodily causes and another that was divine or inspired, with Apollo as the source of inspiration. This revolutionary perspective positioned certain forms of madness not as illness, but as channels for transcendent knowledge and creative inspiration.[1]
Plato's systematic categorization in the Phaedrus identified four distinct types of divine mania: prophetic inspiration (the gift of Apollo manifested through oracles), mystical revelations and initiations (the gift of Dionysus providing spiritual release), poetic inspiration (the gift of the Muses enabling artistic creation), and erotic inspiration (the gift of Aphrodite and Eros driving the soul toward transcendent love). Recent scholarship on divine mania demonstrates that these were not metaphorical concepts but reflected actual cultural practices where "various altered states of consciousness were commonly known: initiates experienced them during mystery rites; sacred officials and enquirers attained them in the major oracular centers".[2][3][4]
The significance of this ancient framework extends beyond historical curiosity. Contemporary individuals with lived experience of bipolar disorder report remarkably similar patterns. As one person with bipolar disorder describes: "During her manic phases in 2018, she had spiritual experiences that could be defined as visual hallucinations; moreover, she remembers standing in her garden, dressed in a kimono, listening to voices, the voices of her neighbors but also the voices of plants and God". This echoes the ancient Greek understanding that mania could facilitate direct communication with divine forces and expanded perception of reality.[5]
The Cultural Context of Sacred Madness
The Greek approach to altered consciousness states was notably inclusive and respectful, treating such experiences "with cautious respect, but never suppressed or pushed to the cultural and social periphery, in contrast to many other complex societies, ancient and modern". This cultural acceptance created space for individuals experiencing altered states to find meaning and social integration rather than marginalization and pathologization.[4]
Cross-Cultural Shamanic Perspectives: Universal Patterns of Sacred Healing
The Shamanic Continuum and Psychotic Experience
The parallels between shamanic practices and what Western psychiatry categorizes as psychotic disorders extend far beyond coincidental similarities. Anthropological research across cultures reveals consistent patterns where individuals exhibiting behaviors resembling schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are often recognized as potential spiritual intermediaries rather than psychiatric patients.[6][7]
The landmark 1967 work by psychiatrist Julian Silverman identified that "shamans frequently become enthralled with mystical/religious beliefs and suspicions of otherworldly threats. Shamans have the reputation of being solitary, antisocial, and odd". Crucially, Silverman observed that the primary difference between shamanic and schizophrenic experiences lay not in the underlying psychological processes but in the degree of cultural acceptance and support.[8]
Indigenous Healing Models and Spiritual Integration
Contemporary research continues to validate these cross-cultural patterns. Among the Xhosa and Zulu peoples of South Africa, conditions resembling schizophrenia are understood through frameworks of spirit possession, with traditional healers distinguishing between malevolent possession (amafufunyana) requiring exorcism and beneficial spiritual calling (ukuthwasa) indicating shamanic potential. These cultural frameworks provide structured pathways for integration rather than exclusion.[9][10]
The therapeutic effectiveness of indigenous approaches appears related to their holistic and meaning-making emphasis. As documented in traditional healing practices, "the elaborate rituals, the use of herbs and sacred objects, the incorporation of the community and tribe; all help in the process of bringing sense and coherence, as well as a deeply felt source of loving support to helping a person navigate the depths of confusion and distress found in psychosis".[11]
Research among the okomfo spiritual practitioners in Ghana provides particularly compelling evidence for this shamanic-psychosis connection. The study found that some religious experts "have a schizophrenia-like process which is managed or mitigated by religious practice, so that individuals are able to function effectively and not identified by others in the community as ill". This suggests that cultural frameworks and spiritual practices can transform potentially disabling experiences into sources of community healing and wisdom.[7]
Evolutionary Perspectives: Adaptive Functions of Altered States
The Evolutionary Paradox of Psychotic Disorders
From an evolutionary perspective, the persistence of genes associated with psychotic disorders presents a fascinating puzzle. These conditions typically emerge during prime reproductive years and often reduce fertility, yet they maintain stable prevalence across human populations worldwide. This evolutionary paradox has prompted researchers to investigate whether psychotic symptoms might serve adaptive functions under certain circumstances.[12][13]
Recent research proposes that psychotic symptoms may function as natural defense mechanisms activated by environmental stressors, particularly those affecting social relationships. As documented in a comprehensive review: "Psychotic symptoms may be explained as a natural defense mechanism or protective response to stressful environments. This is in line with the fact that psychotic symptoms most often develop during adolescence. In this phase of life, leaving the familiar, and safe home environment and building new social networks is one of the main tasks".[12]
The concept of "hyperconsciousness" emerges as a key mechanism in this adaptive framework. During periods of social transition or environmental threat, heightened vigilance, increased attention to detail, and expanded awareness of social dynamics could provide survival advantages. This hyperconsciousness bears striking resemblance to the heightened spiritual awareness reported in both manic episodes and shamanic states.[12]
Balancing Selection and Creative Advantages
The evolutionary persistence of psychosis-related genes may reflect balancing selection, where the same genetic variations that predispose to mental health challenges also confer significant advantages. Studies suggest that genes linked to psychotic symptoms have been present in the gene pool for an extended period and are regarded as typical, with possible associations including creativity, spiritual awareness, and social sensitivity.[12]
Studies consistently demonstrate elevated creativity and innovation among individuals with bipolar disorder and their relatives. This creative advantage, combined with the spiritual and social insights that can emerge from altered states, may have provided evolutionary benefits that outweighed the reproductive costs. The same neural variations that predispose to psychotic experiences may also enable profound pattern recognition, metaphorical thinking, and transcendent personal insights valued across human cultures.[14]
Neuroscientific Foundations: Brain Networks and Consciousness
The Default Mode Network and Transcendent Experience
Modern neuroscience has identified specific brain networks that appear central to both psychotic experiences and mystical states. The default mode network (DMN), consisting of the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and para-hippocampal regions, shows altered activity during both psychotic episodes and transcendent spiritual experiences.[15]
Research using neuroimaging during mystical experiences reveals that "activity and connectivity in these brain regions is also altered by acute and long-term meditation practice" and that these changes are "consistent with the decreases in self-referential processing (i.e. dissolution of a sense of self, likely related an experience of unity) that accompanies introvertive mystical experience". This neurobiological overlap suggests shared mechanisms underlying religious experience and certain features of psychotic states.[15]
Studies of individuals with bipolar disorder during spiritual or mystical experiences show similar DMN alterations. During manic episodes characterized by spiritual content, brain imaging reveals patterns consistent with the "dissolution of boundaries between self and environment" that characterizes both mystical experience and certain psychotic phenomena.[5][16]
Hallucination Networks and Spiritual Perception
The neuroscience of hallucinations provides additional insights into the relationship between psychotic experience and spiritual perception. Research demonstrates that hallucinations result from specific alterations in how sensory information becomes conscious, involving networks that include the temporal cortex, limbic structures, and consciousness-related regions.[17]
Significantly, cultural context profoundly shapes the content and emotional valence of hallucinatory experiences. Cross-cultural studies indicate that the experience of hearing voices varies according to local beliefs about the self, the mind, and the nature of reality. In cultures with positive frameworks for understanding voices and visions, individuals report less distressing and more helpful experiences compared to Western biomedical contexts.[17]
Quantum Physics and Consciousness: The Penrose-Hameroff Revolution
Orchestrated Objective Reduction Theory
The intersection of quantum physics and consciousness studies has produced one of the most intriguing theoretical frameworks for understanding the nature of awareness itself. The Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) theory, developed by Nobel laureate Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, proposes that consciousness emerges from quantum processes within neuronal microtubules.[18][19][20]
This theory suggests that consciousness operates through quantum coherence in microtubules, protein structures within neurons that maintain quantum states long enough to influence neural processing. Recent experimental findings support this framework. Research indicates that microtubule-binding drugs can delay the onset of unconsciousness under anesthesia in rats, suggesting a possible connection between consciousness and quantum processes.[21][22][23]
Quantum Coherence in Biological Systems
The issue of sustaining quantum coherence within the complex, dynamic environment of the brain has been examined through studies demonstrating quantum effects in biological systems. Research has documented quantum coherence in processes such as photosynthesis, avian navigation, and olfactory perception, thereby providing support for the field of quantum biology. In relation to microtubules, experimental evidence indicates that quantum states involved in microtubule signaling not only exist but may persist for durations significantly exceeding prior expectations, with quantum coherence observed to last thousands of times longer than previously anticipated.[18][23][24]
The implications for understanding altered states of consciousness are profound. If consciousness indeed operates through quantum mechanisms, then the extraordinary perceptual and cognitive experiences reported during psychotic and mystical states might represent alterations in quantum processing rather than simple neurochemical imbalances.[25][26]
Quantum Entanglement and Non-Local Consciousness
The quantum framework suggests possibilities that extend beyond classical neuroscience. If consciousness involves quantum entanglement between microtubules, then the sense of connection with universal consciousness reported in mystical experiences might reflect actual quantum connections. This perspective offers a potential scientific foundation for experiences that transcend individual brain boundaries, experiences commonly reported during both manic episodes and shamanic journeys.[23][26]
Recent studies suggest that myelin, which surrounds the axon of brain cells, may create favorable conditions for quantum entanglement, allowing the possibility that quantum processes could play a role in information transmission over distance. These proposed mechanisms have been put forward to explain advanced pattern recognition, unusual insights, and experiences of cosmic connection reported during spiritual experiences and certain psychotic states.[23]
Altered Neurotypes and the Hard Problem of Consciousness
Windows into the Nature of Subjective Experience
The study of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia offers unprecedented opportunities to address what philosopher David Chalmers termed the "hard problem of consciousness" explaining why and how we have qualitative, subjective experiences rather than processing information unconsciously like sophisticated machines. These conditions represent natural experiments in consciousness, providing unique windows into the fundamental mechanisms that generate subjective experience.[27][28]
Recent neuroscience research reports disruptions in conscious access among individuals with psychotic conditions. A study using visual masking paradigms found that patients with psychosis, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with psychotic features, demonstrated higher masking thresholds than control subjects and patients with bipolar disorder without psychotic features. These results indicate differences in the threshold at which information becomes consciously accessible in psychotic states.[29]
The study also found that masking threshold was negatively correlated with the mean general fractional anisotropy of white matter tracts within the GNW network (inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus, cingulum, and corpus callosum). This suggests that the Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW), which is theorized to generate conscious experience, may be altered in psychotic conditions.[29]
The Global Neuronal Workspace and Consciousness Disruption
According to GNW theory, consciousness emerges when information becomes globally accessible across distributed brain networks through long-distance neural connectivity. The finding that structural connectivity within GNW networks correlates with consciousness thresholds suggests that psychotic experiences may result from specific alterations in the neural architecture of consciousness itself.[30][29]
This neurobiological perspective describes psychotic experiences as variations in basic consciousness processes rather than solely as symptoms. Research indicates that conscious access impairments mediate dysconnectivity and psychosis, outlining a three-step model: structural changes in the brain affect consciousness mechanisms, which subsequently lead to psychotic phenomena.[29]
These findings provide crucial insights into the hard problem by revealing how specific neural architectures generate different qualities of conscious experience. The altered consciousness thresholds in psychotic states demonstrate that subjective experience is not simply an epiphenomenon but depends on precise neural configurations that can be measured and modified.[31]
Quantum Information Processing and Altered States
The intersection of quantum consciousness theories and research into altered states indicates that these neurotypes may serve as valuable contexts for investigating quantum information processing in biological systems. Recent studies have provided substantial evidence that quantum entanglement can enhance conscious experience and support more rapid, efficient learning.[32]
Investigations into quantum effects on consciousness have demonstrated that entangled qubits within stimulus configurations accounted for 13.5% of the variance in accuracy observed in experimental participants, while quantum entanglement explained up to a 31.6% increase in variance among twin responses. These results indicate a possible contribution of quantum processes to consciousness, suggesting that altered states may involve changes in quantum information processing.[32]
If consciousness involves quantum computation as proposed by the Penrose-Hameroff theory, then the enhanced pattern recognition, temporal perception alterations, and transcendent experiences characteristic of psychotic and mystical states might reflect alterations in quantum processing capabilities. The heightened sensitivity to environmental patterns and the sense of cosmic connection reported in these states could represent manifestations of enhanced quantum coherence or entanglement effects.[33]
Implications for Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence
Natural Models for Quantum-Enhanced Cognition
Investigating altered states of consciousness in individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may yield valuable insights for the advancement of quantum computing applications and artificial intelligence systems. Google's Quantum Artificial Intelligence Lab, under the leadership of Hartmut Neven, is exploring the potential of quantum computing to address the complexities of consciousness by evaluating theories that posit its emergence from quantum phenomena within the human brain.[34]
Neven has formulated experimental protocols designed to entangle the human brain with quantum processor qubits, aiming to assess whether participants experience changes in conscious awareness. This expansion protocol is based on the hypothesis that quantum entanglement could temporarily augment conscious awareness by increasing the informational complexity accessible to the brain.[34]
Research into psychotic states offers naturally occurring models for these experiments. Should individuals with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia already demonstrate altered thresholds of consciousness and quantum-related processing, they may represent optimal subjects for examining quantum consciousness theories. Their experiences could contribute to validating whether quantum entanglement genuinely enhances conscious awareness and information processing capabilities.
Bridging Biological and Artificial Quantum Systems
Companies like Nirvanic are developing AI systems that apply quantum consciousness principles to create technology capable of transitioning between routine functioning and heightened awareness states. The study of how individuals with altered consciousness states navigate between ordinary and extraordinary perception could inform the design of quantum-enhanced AI systems.[34]
Studies on consciousness disruption in psychotic states indicate that quantum AI systems may benefit from adjusting their quantum coherence and entanglement features to improve information processing in various contexts. Examining how biological systems regulate these factors could inform the design of artificial quantum consciousness frameworks.
Research indicates that genes linked to psychotic symptoms have existed in the gene pool for an extended period and may be connected to certain adaptive traits. This has led to the hypothesis that altered states of consciousness could reflect evolutionary responses to complex information processing needs. Quantum computing systems that simulate aspects of these natural processes may show improved capabilities in pattern recognition, creative problem-solving, and adaptive decision-making.[12]
Addressing the Binding Problem Through Quantum Entanglement
One of the principal challenges in consciousness research is the binding problem. Specifically, how the brain synthesizes diverse sensory inputs into cohesive conscious experiences. Quantum entanglement has been proposed as a potential solution; Neven advocates that entanglement serves as the only authentic binding mechanism available within physics, facilitating the formation of holistic states in which individual elements are intrinsically linked.[34]
Investigating psychotic states, where typical binding processes are impaired, may elucidate the role of quantum entanglement in achieving unified consciousness. The atypical integration of sensory and cognitive information observed during such states could indicate alterations in quantum binding mechanisms, thereby offering valuable perspectives for designing artificial systems capable of comparable integration.[29]
Recent studies on phosphorus-based qubits in neural systems propose that the brain may function as a natural quantum computer, utilizing phosphorus nuclei as biological qubits with the capacity to sustain quantum coherence. Elucidating the operation of these natural quantum systems under altered conditions could contribute to the advancement of more robust and efficient artificial quantum processors.[33]
Contemporary Spirituality and Psychiatric Integration
The Healing Potential of Spiritual Frameworks
Recent research highlights the therapeutic benefits of incorporating spiritual perspectives into psychiatric care. Findings indicate that positive religious coping strategies and intrinsic religiosity are associated with improved clinical outcomes for individuals with bipolar disorder. Specifically, patients exhibiting intrinsic religious motivation and constructive religious beliefs and practices tend to experience reduced depressive symptoms and enhanced overall quality of life.[5][35]
Accurate differentiation between pathological and spiritual phenomena is essential for effective clinical management. Contemporary psychiatry identifies spiritual emergencies as a separate category from psychotic episodes, characterizing them as critical periods involving profound psychological transformation accompanied by atypical experiences related to consciousness, emotion, cognition, perception, and somatic symptoms.[5]
Integration Models for Clinical Practice
The effective integration of spiritual and psychiatric perspectives necessitates sophisticated assessment skills. Clinical studies indicate that the presence of spiritual content in psychotic episodes is not inherently pathological and should be evaluated with attention to cultural and religious frameworks. Individuals with lived experience report that bipolar disorder and spiritual experiences do not have to be mutually exclusive; achieving equilibrium in recovery involves seeking both spiritual guidance and clinical interventions.[11][16]
Effective treatment models increasingly incorporate:
Implications for Understanding Human Consciousness
Toward an Integrated Model
Evidence from various fields indicates that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may be variations in basic consciousness processes rather than solely pathological conditions. Findings from quantum, evolutionary, neurobiological, and cultural research provide perspectives on these conditions as altered forms of consciousness that may have adaptive or impairing effects depending on contextual factors and available support.
This integrated perspective outlines several key principles. Specifically, consciousness may be considered as existing on a continuum rather than in discrete categories, with psychotic and mystical experiences positioned at different points along this spectrum. Quantum processes in microtubules have been proposed as potential mechanisms underlying enhanced pattern recognition, changes in temporal perception, and transcendent experiences observed in both spiritual states and certain psychiatric conditions.[7][12][21][22][23]
Cultural context influences the interpretation and outcomes of altered consciousness experiences, with supportive spiritual frameworks potentially facilitating integration rather than deterioration. Evolutionary pressures may have maintained genes associated with psychotic experiences due to possible benefits related to creativity, spiritual insight, and social adaptation under specific circumstances.[11][12][14][17][7]
Future Research Directions
Quantum consciousness studies could explore whether individuals with psychotic experiences show measurable differences in microtubule quantum coherence. Cross-cultural research could identify specific elements of traditional healing practices that promote integration of altered states.[7][11][21][22]
Neuroimaging studies may investigate DMN and consciousness network activity during spiritual practices and psychotic experiences to determine both commonalities and differences in patterns. Longitudinal research could follow individuals undergoing spiritual emergencies to identify variables associated with positive or negative results.[5][15][16]
Quantum computing applications could test consciousness theories by examining whether quantum entanglement enhances information processing capabilities in ways that parallel the enhanced pattern recognition seen in altered states. AI development could incorporate insights from natural quantum consciousness systems to create more adaptive and aware artificial intelligences.[34]
Conclusion: Honoring the Sacred in Mental Health
Evidence from fields such as ancient philosophy, cross-cultural anthropology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and quantum physics suggests that experiences classified as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may be viewed as natural variations in human consciousness rather than solely biological disorders. These states can result in spiritual insights and creative breakthroughs under certain conditions or manifest as disabling symptoms when pathologized.
This perspective acknowledges the suffering associated with these conditions and does not imply a rejection of medical treatment. Instead, it advocates for broader frameworks that consider both the difficulties and potential strengths present in these states of consciousness. By combining historical perspectives with contemporary scientific research, more comprehensive approaches may be developed to help individuals find meaning, healing, and integration.
Research into the nature of consciousness, significance of altered states, and widespread presence of shamanic traditions across cultures indicate that consciousness may be more adaptable and interconnected than traditionally understood within psychiatry. Viewing bipolar disorder and schizophrenia from this standpoint enables consideration of treatment methods beyond strictly biomedical models, while still incorporating scientific standards.
The study of different neurotypes contributes to advancing the understanding of consciousness. Altered states of awareness can serve as valuable subjects for exploring questions about consciousness and may offer insights relevant to quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Observations of enhanced pattern recognition and unique information processing abilities suggest that these experiences represent alternative modes of consciousness with possible evolutionary and technological implications.
Continued exploration of these relationships may inform mental health practices that address the broad range of human consciousness, recognizing that some experiences traditionally labeled as madness might be responses to aspects of reality outside ordinary perception. Integrating diverse conceptual frameworks may support approaches to mental health that focus on meaning, connection, and transcendence, as well as further research into consciousness and its applications.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
References
Amafufunyana. (2025). Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amafufunyana](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amafufunyana)
Barrett, F. S., & Griffiths, R. R. (2018). Classic hallucinogens and mystical experiences: Phenomenology, neural correlates, therapeutic potential, and frontiers. Neuropsychopharmacology, 43(1), 142-158. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6707356/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6707356/)
Divine madness. (2009). Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_madness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_madness)
Divine mania: Alteration of consciousness in ancient Greece. (2018). Bryn Mawr Classical Review. [https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2018/2018.10.19/](https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2018/2018.10.19/)
Evolutionary approaches to schizophrenia. (2024). Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_approaches_to_schizophrenia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_approaches_to_schizophrenia)
Hameroff, S., & Penrose, R. (2014). Consciousness in the universe: A review of the 'Orch OR' theory. Physics of Life Reviews, 11(1), 39-78. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24070914/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24070914/)
International Bipolar Foundation. (2021). Is mania a spiritual experience? [https://ibpf.org/is-mania-a-spiritual-experience/](https://ibpf.org/is-mania-a-spiritual-experience/)
Is consciousness research the next big quantum use case? (2025). The Quantum Insider. [https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/11/is-consciousness-research-the-next-big-quantum-use-case/](https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/11/is-consciousness-research-the-next-big-quantum-use-case/)
Is mental illness an unintended evolutionary byproduct? (2025). Psychology Today. [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/common-sense-science/202503/is-mental-illness-an-unintended-evolutionary-byproduct](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/common-sense-science/202503/is-mental-illness-an-unintended-evolutionary-byproduct)
Jackson, N., et al. (2022). Bipolar disorder, religion, and spirituality: A scoping review. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 10(1), Article 25. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35064445/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35064445/)
Luhrmann, T. M., et al. (2014). Culture and hallucinations: Overview and future directions. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 40(4), S213-S220. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4141319/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4141319/)
Luhrmann, T. M., Padmavati, R., Tharoor, H., & Osei, A. (2023). The shaman and schizophrenia, revisited. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 47(4), 1089-1106. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11362382/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11362382/)
Neural circuits, microtubule processing, brain's electromagnetic field. (2021). PMC. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8393322/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8393322/)
Orchestrated objective reduction. (2004). Wikipedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestrated_objective_reduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestrated_objective_reduction)
Owens, B. (n.d.). The ancient Greeks thought bipolar disorder was a divine gift. International Bipolar Foundation. [https://ibpf.org/the-ancient-greeks-thought-bipolar-disorder-was-a-divine-gift/](https://ibpf.org/the-ancient-greeks-thought-bipolar-disorder-was-a-divine-gift/)
Penrose, R. (2024). Roger Penrose on why consciousness does not compute. Nautilus. [https://nautil.us/roger-penrose-on-why-consciousness-does-not-compute-236591/](https://nautil.us/roger-penrose-on-why-consciousness-does-not-compute-236591/)
Psychosis or spiritual emergence. (n.d.). Royal College of Psychiatrists. [https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/spirituality-special-interest-group-publications-nicki-crowley-psychosis-or-spiritual-emergence.pdf](https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/members/sigs/spirituality-spsig/spirituality-special-interest-group-publications-nicki-crowley-psychosis-or-spiritual-emergence.pdf)
Roger Penrose on consciousness. (2024). Scientific and Medical Network. [https://scientificandmedical.net/roger-penrose-on-consciousness/](https://scientificandmedical.net/roger-penrose-on-consciousness/)
Santambrogio, J., et al. (2024). Bipolar disorder: Identity, social support, religiosity and spirituality. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, Article 1321072. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861705/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861705/)
Seeman, M. V. (2022). The shamanistic theory of schizophrenia: The evidence for schizophrenia as a vestigial phenotypic behavior originating in paleolithic shamanism. Journal of Anthropological and Archaeological Sciences, 4(2). [https://lupinepublishers.com/anthropological-and-archaeological-sciences/fulltext/the-shamanistic-theory-of-schizophrenia-the-evidence-for-schizophrenia-as-a-vestigial-phenotypic-behavior-originating-in-paleolithic-shamanism.ID.000238.php](https://lupinepublishers.com/anthropological-and-archaeological-sciences/fulltext/the-shamanistic-theory-of-schizophrenia-the-evidence-for-schizophrenia-as-a-vestigial-phenotypic-behavior-originating-in-paleolithic-shamanism.ID.000238.php)
Silverman, J. (1967). Shamans and acute schizophrenia. American Anthropologist, 69(1), 21-31. [https://www.willhall.net/files/ResearchPsychShamanismSchizophreniaSilverman1967.pdf](https://www.willhall.net/files/ResearchPsychShamanismSchizophreniaSilverman1967.pdf)
Study supports quantum basis of consciousness in the brain. (2024). Neuroscience News. [https://neurosciencenews.com/quantum-process-consciousness-27624/](https://neurosciencenews.com/quantum-process-consciousness-27624/)
This research suggests that consciousness might be rooted in quantum processes. (2024). Reddit. [https://www.reddit.com/r/consciousness/comments/1aoawpg/this_research_suggests_that_consciousness_might/](https://www.reddit.com/r/consciousness/comments/1aoawpg/this_research_suggests_that_consciousness_might/)
Traditional healing and psychosis vs. the promises of modern science. (2014). Mad in America. [https://www.madinamerica.com/2014/02/traditional-healing-psychosis/](https://www.madinamerica.com/2014/02/traditional-healing-psychosis/)
Traditional health practitioners' understanding of spirit possession in psychosis. (2024). PMC. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11019105/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11019105/)
Ustinova, Y. (2018). Alteration of consciousness in ancient Greece: Divine mania. [https://eleusinianmysteries.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Alteration-of-consciousness-in-Ancient-Greece.pdf](https://eleusinianmysteries.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Alteration-of-consciousness-in-Ancient-Greece.pdf)
van der Stel, J., et al. (2018). Psychosis as an evolutionary adaptive mechanism to changing environments. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 1008. [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5996757/](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5996757/)
⁂
https://ibpf.org/the-ancient-greeks-thought-bipolar-disorder-was-a-divine-gift/
https://www.willhall.net/files/ResearchPsychShamanismSchizophreniaSilverman1967.pdf
https://www.madinamerica.com/2014/02/traditional-healing-psychosis/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_approaches_to_schizophrenia
https://nautil.us/roger-penrose-on-why-consciousness-does-not-compute-236591/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestrated_objective_reduction
https://neurosciencenews.com/quantum-process-consciousness-27624/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a62373322/quantum-theory-of-consciousness/
https://scientificandmedical.net/roger-penrose-on-consciousness/
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/consciousness-neuroscience/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-mystery-of-consciousness-is-deeper-than-we-thought/
https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/11/is-consciousness-research-the-next-big-quantum-use-case/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763423001732
https://direct.mit.edu/books/edited-volume/4299/Neural-Correlates-of-ConsciousnessEmpirical-and
Comments