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'''Psychedelics are medicinal compounds which affect the functioning of the human mind. Historically, psychedelics have been shrouded in [[War on Drugs|taboo]], however with the advent of [[The Psychedelic Renaissance]] this fabrication is slowly dissipating.''' In the scientific community, psychedelics seen as neither good nor bad, but merely tools which have the unique property of inducing [[neuroplasticity|neuroplastic]] states. | '''Psychedelics are medicinal compounds which affect the functioning of the human mind. Historically, psychedelics have been shrouded in [[War on Drugs|taboo]], however with the advent of [[The Psychedelic Renaissance]] this fabrication is slowly dissipating.''' In the scientific community, psychedelics seen as neither good nor bad, but merely tools which have the unique property of inducing [[neuroplasticity|neuroplastic]] states. | ||
The human brain is the result of evolution following a [[long collective history]] of around 4 billion years. Part chemical, part electrical, it is a [[Neurochemistry|neurochemical]] machine dealing with a cacophony of signals resulting in consciousness. The brain, in fact, sits at the centre of so many inputs they were pushed out of the conscious mind into the subconscious to stop too much noise overwhelming the system. | The human brain is the result of evolution following a [[long collective history]] of around 4 billion years. Part chemical, part electrical, it is a [[Neurochemistry|neurochemical]] machine dealing with a cacophony of signals resulting in consciousness. The brain, in fact, sits at the centre of so many inputs they were pushed out of the conscious mind into the subconscious to stop too much noise overwhelming the system. | ||
During the psychedelic experience as shown in the brain scan above ('''Figure 1''') some of these subconscious inputs open up to the conscious mind. Effectively allowing you to see what is under the hood. However, as we are only built to pay attention to one or two things at one time this experience is often overwhelming, leaving us vulnerable. | During the psychedelic experience as shown in the brain scan above ('''Figure 1''') some of these subconscious inputs open up to the conscious mind. Effectively allowing you to see what is under the hood. However, as we are only built to pay attention to one or two things at one time this experience is often overwhelming, leaving us vulnerable. | ||
== Psychedelic Compounds == | == Psychedelic Compounds == | ||
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* Ketamine a synthetic anaesthesia, which globally, is the most prescribed drug in this class. | * Ketamine a synthetic anaesthesia, which globally, is the most prescribed drug in this class. | ||
== Usage == | |||
Psychedelics are tools, like a gun which is neither bad nor good, it is the intention behind their use that creates their effect. In a clinical sense, under specific [[priming]] and [[setting]] there is abundant evidence for the safety and efficacy for their use in the treatment of: | |||
* '''Cyclical thought patterns:''' | |||
**'''Depression''' - multiple meta analyses results suggest that psychedelic-assisted therapy is effective with minimal adverse effects<ref>'''Classic serotonergic psychedelics for mood and depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis of mood disorder patients and healthy participants'''. Nicole L. Galvão-Coelho, Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021; 238(2): 341–354. Published online 2021 Jan 11. doi: 10.1007/s00213-020-05719-1. Accessed on 16th Spetember 2022 via https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7826317/pdf/213_2020_Article_5719.pdf</ref><ref>'''''A Meta-Analysis of Placebo-Controlled Trials of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy'''. Luoma, J. B., Chwyl, C., Bathje, G. J., Davis, A. K., & Lancelotta, R. (2020). Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 1–11.'' doi:10.1080/02791072.2020.1769878. Accessed on 16th September 2022 via: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32529966/ </ref>, relative to a comparable meta analysis of the effects of 21 traditional antidepressant drugs<ref>Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Andrea Cipriani, MD. Published in the Lancet. February 21, 2018 DOI:<nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32802-7</nowiki></ref>, relative to other treatments psychedelics lack the majority of serious adverse effects. | |||
**'''Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)''' | |||
*'''Cyclical behavioural patterns:''' | |||
**'''Alcoholism''' - the founder of AA cured his alcoholism using LSD<ref>A Radical New Approach to Beating Addiction". Psychology Today. Retrieved February 24, 2019, also Francis Hartigan Bill Wilson p. 177-179.</ref>. | |||
**'''Tobacco Use''' - small study has shown an 80% cessation rate after 6 months which compare to the industry standard of 35%<ref>''An online survey of tobacco smoking cessation associated with naturalistic psychedelic use. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 31(7), 841–850.'' Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Johnson, P. S., & Griffiths, R. R. (2017). doi:10.1177/0269881116684335 10.1177/0269881116684335</ref>. | |||
* '''Ecological crisis denialism''' - several studies have shown that psychedelic use leads to pronounce ecological concern<ref>'''''Manifesting Minds: A Review of Psychedelics in Science, Medicine, Sex, and Spirituality'''''. Doblin, Rick; Brad Burge (2014) North Atlantic Books. <nowiki>ISBN 1583947272</nowiki>.</ref><ref>'''Lifetime experience with (classic) psychedelics predicts pro-environmental behavior through an increase in nature relatedness'''. Matthias Forstmann and Christina Sagioglou Journal of Psychopharmacology 2017. DOI: 10.1177/0269881117714049</ref><ref>'''From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner'''. Hannes Kettner, Sam Gandy, Eline C. H. M. Haijen and Robin L. Carhart-Harris Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Published: December 2019 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16245147 | |||
</ref>. It has been suggested that this may be because as perceptual frameworks dissolve, the rationality of common [[Relativity of ethics|good]] between humans precipitates. | |||
Numerous studies<ref>'''Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Paradigm Shift in Psychiatric Research and Development.''' Eduardo Ekman Schenberg. Front Pharmacol. 2018; 9: 733. Published online 2018 Jul 5. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00733.</ref> and a systematic review<ref>'''A systematic review of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health''': An evaluation of the current wave of research and suggestions for the future. Wheeler, S. W., & Dyer, N. L. (2020). Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 7(3), 279–315. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000237</nowiki></ref> have concluded that [[Guided Psychedelic Therapy|guided psychedelic therapy]] can augment the above therapeutic effects. | |||
== Mechanism of Action == | |||
Psychedelics are [[exogenous neurotransmitters]], that cause neuroplastic, [[Pivotal mental state|pivotal mental states]]. It is thought psychedelics mediate this effect by altering Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)<ref>'''Psychedelics and Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review Unraveling the Biological Underpinnings of Psychedelics''' Cato M. H. de Vos, Natasha L. Mason and Kim P. C. Kuypers* Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands Front. Psychiatry, 10 September 2021 </ref> | |||
== Psychedelic Comparison == | == Psychedelic Comparison == |