Right Hemisphere and Psychedelics

A new theory suggests that psychedelics promote empathy, insight, and psychological flexibility by making the brain’s right hemisphere temporarily dominant over the left.

Known as HEALS—Hemispheric Annealing and Lateralization Under Psychedelics—this model proposes that psychedelics disrupt the typical hierarchy between hemispheres, releasing the more holistic, emotionally intelligent right side from left-brain control.