More Psilocybin Research

Studies over the past several years have shown promise in using psilocybin-assisted therapy to treat psychiatric disorders like depression.

A recent follow-up study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers found two doses of the hallucinogenic compound coupled with psychotherapy resulted in large decreases in major depressive disorder symptoms for most of the study’s participants.

New research is hinting at how the hallucinogenic compound may facilitate reduced depression symptoms.

Read more

Researching Psychedelics- It's Complicated

Researchers from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and McGill University published a paper in the journal Science Advances proposing a unique method for better understanding the interaction between hallucinogenic drugs, people’s brains, and different types of psychedelic experiences.

They did this by using artificial intelligence to look at real-life accounts of psychedelic experiences and compare them to how human brain chemistry engages with drugs on a molecular level.

However, while the researchers’ methods and goals push the envelope forward on understanding how psychedelics can help or harm individuals, the data they use could be unreliable.

Read more

Study Shows People Who Use Psychedelics Were Under Less Stress During Covid-19 Lockdowns

“Based on the data collected, lifetime use of psychedelics was associated with less psychological stress during Covid-19 lockdowns. Personality trait measurements give the results some additional context. In personality tests, people who used psychedelics scored higher on scales for novelty seeking and self-transcendence, and lower for cooperativeness. “

“Authors write that there are several things to consider before assuming psychedelics are entirely responsible for lower stress levels during lockdown, including better mental health measures among users, like more time spent outdoors, and healthy habits, such as a good diet and less time watching Covid-related news.”

Read more

Psychedelics, Consciousness and World Peace

Daniel Ellsberg is a self-proclaimed “psychedelics person,” who says he has had several hundred experiences with psychedelics.

He isn’t convinced, however, that psychedelics hold the key to unlocking world peace and freedom from the impending nuclear and climate-related doom that he explores in his most recent book, “The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner.””

Read more