The following is a summary of “Aesthetic chills mitigate maladaptive cognition in depression,” published in the January 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Schoeller et al.
Depression, impacting 300 million globally, requires innovative solutions due to the limited success of current treatments. Emerging evidence proposes that experiences of awe, transcendence, and meaning may swiftly transform maladaptive cognitive patterns in depression.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to uncover whether aesthetic chills, a potent emotional response, could reshape negative beliefs and offer a novel avenue for combating depression.
They enrolled 96 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder and utilized the Chills Responses (ChillsDB) multimedia database to evoke emotional responses. The Emotional Breakthrough Inventory (EBI) assessed participants’ emotional reactions, and changes in self-schema were gauged through the Young Positive Schema Questionnaire (YSPQ).
The results showed stimuli eliciting chills could potentially have a positive impact on individuals experiencing depression, affecting the aspects of their self-related beliefs. Chills’ subjective experiences show similarities to altered states caused by psychedelics like psilocybin.
Investigators concluded that the initial findings show promise for using chills as a drug-free depression treatment. More research is needed to understand how it works and ensure its safety and effectiveness.
Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-05476-3
