Psychedelics: Fact and Fiction

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In the 1960s, researchers and the general public began to explore the potential benefits of psychedelic drugs in medical and therapeutic contexts. These substances—which include psychoactive plants such as ayahuasca, LSD, peyote, mescaline, and others—can induce experiences that feel indistinguishable from mystical states, with a sense of oneness with oneself and one’s surroundings. They can also give users glimpses into past traumas or future fears—sometimes with challenging or even damaging effects. But decades later, many people still have misunderstandings about what these substances are and how they affect our brains. Let’s explore the facts about psychedelics: their history, their use in medical research today, and their potential value to society.

What Are Psychedelics?

Psychedelics, also known as hallucinogens or entheogens, are a diverse group of drugs that alter perception (awareness of the world), thoughts, and feelings, often leading to a mystical or spiritual experience. They also can affect mood and can be used to treat mood disorders. There are many different types of psychedelics, including some that occur in nature, and they each have different effects and risks. Most psychedelics are not physically addictive, although some can be psychologically addictive or cause dependence. LSD, psilocybin (found in “magic mushrooms”), mescaline (found in the peyote cactus), and MDMA (ecstasy) are the most common types of psychedelics. They can be used to expand consciousness and enhance creative thinking and therapy. In small or moderate doses, these drugs are not believed to be harmful, although they can occasionally trigger adverse reactions. In larger doses, or when combined with other drugs, psychedelics can become harmful or even fatal.

Understanding the Psychedelic Experience

When people take psychedelic drugs, they often report feeling a sense of oneness with the world, greater insight into themselves and others, and a sense of the mystical in the everyday. The descriptive terms researchers use to categorize the effects of psychedelics include “ego dissolution,” “altered meaning,” “altered consciousness,” and “altered aesthetics.” Ego dissolution: This is a feeling of losing one’s sense of a separate, distinct self. It may be accompanied by a sense of oneness with the rest of the universe. Altered meaning: This is a feeling that things that would normally seem neutral or even mundane are imbued with great significance. A flower, the sound of a bird chirping, the sensation of one’s feet touching the ground—these might all suddenly become infused with deep, almost spiritual meaning. Altered consciousness: This is a feeling of being transported to a different realm of reality from the one that generally obtains for one’s daily life. Altered aesthetics: This is a feeling of seeing the world around one in a new light, as if all of the mundane sights of one’s environment have become imbued with aesthetic beauty.

Research into the Therapeutic Benefits of LSD

LSD is a substance that can be very helpful to those suffering from anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health issues. Some psychiatrists are currently administering psychedelics to patients with treatment-resistant mental health disorders, and they’ve reported great success in treating patients with LSD or psilocybin. In fact, a recent study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that a single session of psychedelic therapy with psilocybin was enough to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with advanced cancer—often to a level that had previously required antidepressants or even electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Importantly, the participants in the study reported no cravings for more of the drug after the single session, and their mental health remained improved six months later.

MDMA for Trauma and PTSD

MDMA—which, as previously mentioned, is more commonly known as “ecstasy”—has been shown to reduce symptoms of PTSD in people who have failed to respond to conventional therapy for the disorder. Unlike many pharmaceutical medications used to treat PTSD, MDMA has also been shown to have no serious negative side effects. MDMA appears to work by reducing fear and increasing trust and empathy, allowing people to confront difficult memories without the usual level of anxiety and fear. This can help people with PTSD to reframe their traumatic experiences as something less frightening.

Marijuana for Chronic Pain and Depression

The most common medical use of marijuana today is to treat chronic pain and the symptoms of mood disorders like anxiety and depression. New research suggests that THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, may be useful in treating a range of disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis. Some scientists believe that the genes responsible for the psychoactive effects of THC may also be related to mental illness. While the full range of benefits of marijuana are still being explored, current studies indicate that it may help with chronic pain management, anxiety associated with PTSD and depression, insomnia, and possibly even the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Conclusion

As you’ve just read, psychedelics are powerful substances that can provide healing, insights, and a sense of connection to others. However, they also come with serious risks, and their long-term effects are still not fully understood. For these reasons, it’s crucial that they be studied and administered in a controlled, scientific environment. Scientists believe that psychedelics have tremendous potential for improving mental health care and addressing issues like substance use disorders, depression, and anxiety. As research and public opinion on psychedelics continues to shift, we may see new mental health treatments that we can only dream of today.