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Ego Dissolution Scale

Wondering if you've experienced an ego death? Take this test to find out.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

April 12, 2024

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

Ego dissolution refers to a transformative experience where the boundaries of individual selfhood become blurred or dissolved, leading to a profound sense of interconnectedness with the surrounding world or universe. It involves a temporary loss of the usual sense of identity, often accompanied by feelings of unity and self-transcendence.

Many individuals who undergo profound spiritual or psychedelic experiences may struggle to articulate or understand them. The ego dissolution scale is a valuable tool for self-reflection and empowers individuals to explore the depth and significance of their subjective ego death encounters. It can also serve as a starting point for further exploration and personal development.

You can take this test here. Please follow all of the steps to receive your results.

References: Sleight, F. G., Lynn, S. J., Mattson, R. E., McDonald, C. W. (2023). A novel ego dissolution scale: A construct validation study. Consciousness and Cognition, 109, 103474. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103474

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. My “self” or ego dissolves into nothingness.

2. My “self” disappears and no “me” or “I” is present any longer.

3. I feel I do not exist.

4. I experience being out of my body.

5. I experience a disintegration of my “self” or ego.

6. My sense of self moved from one part of my body to another (i.e., from behind my eyes to my heart).

7. I feel at one with the universe.

8. I feel one with everything around me.

9. I feel a sense of union with others.

10. I feel I merge with others/the world.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.