Psychedelics and potential benefits in “healthy normals”: A review of the literature Sam GANDY Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 2019, 3, (3), 280–287. Doi : 10.1556/2054.2019.029 We are in the midst of a psychedelic research renaissance. With research examining the efficacy of psychedelics as a treatment for a range of mental health indications still in its early stages, there is an increasing body of research to show that careful use of psychedelics can yield a variety of benefits in “healthy normals” and so lead to “the betterment of well people.” Psychedelics have been found to modulate neuroplasticity, and usage in a supportive setting can result [...]
Lire la suitePsilocybin-Assisted Therapy : A Review of a Novel Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders Kelan Thomas, Pharm.D., M.S., Benjamin Malcolm, Pharm.D., M.P.H., and Dan Lastra, B.S. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 2017 Doi : 10.1080/02791072.2017.1320734 Abstract Recent research suggests that functional connectivity changes may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Hyperconnectivity in the default mode network has been associated with psycho-pathology, but psychedelic serotonin agonists like psilocybin may profoundly disrupt these dysfunctional neural network circuits and provide a novel treatment for psychiatric disorders. We have reviewed the current literature to investigate the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted therapy for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. There were [...]
Lire la suiteThe Religious Significance of Entheogenic Drugs Hugh Asher More Info: This is my unpublished Master's Dissertation. Abstract This paper examines the use of psychoactive substances such as Psilocybin, Mescaline, and LSD as adjuncts to mystical, religious or spiritual experiences. There is an analysis of the psychological changes and the changes in perception that these substances cause and how these can be interpreted as contributing to religious or spiritual enlightenment. There is also a discussion on the nature of what could be considered a religious experience. An overview of the use of such ‘entheogenic’ drugs from an historical perspective follows, looking specifically at the use of [...]
Lire la suitePsychological Explorations of the Magic Mushroom (Psilocybin) Experience, Part I : Subjective Effects and Time Passage Perception José Arturo Costa Escobar, M.S., Antonio Roazzi, Ph.D. Neurobiologia, 2011, 74, (3-4), 81-97. ABSTRACT Magic mushrooms are rich in the active compound psilocybin, whose activity on consciousness deeply alters cognitive functions, can promote spiritual/mystical experiences and has high biomedical and psychotherapeutic importance. Twenty-eight participants underwent a magic mushroom experience after consuming dehydrated Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms at the dosage of 55.6 mg/Kg (350 μg/kg of psilocybin). Results of subjective aspects of the experience through the Hallucinogen Rating Scale revealed equivalent dosage effects comparable to other studies and similar [...]
Lire la suitePsychological Explorations of the Magic Mushroom (Psilocybin) Experience, Part II : Neuropsychological Measures José Arturo Costa Escobar, M.S., Antonio Roazzi, Ph.D. Neurobiologia, 2011, 74, (3-4), 99-112. ABSTRACT Some investigations conducted with psilocybin and mushrooms of the Psilocybe genus on the human mind point to a peculiarity of these substances to promote a special state of consciousness. The present study measured the effects of dehydrated magic mushrooms on human visual processes and memory utilizing tasks in a pre- and post-test form. We observed defi cits in visual working memory and these results were consistent with other, recent psilocybin studies. However this and other visual mechanisms [...]
Lire la suiteSense of reality, metacognition and culture in schizophrenic and drug-induced hallucinations : An interdisciplinary approach Martin Fortier In J. Proust & M. Fortier (Eds.) : "Metacognitive Diversity : An Interdisciplinary Approach", 2018. Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Abstract Hallucinations possess two main components : (i) a sensory content; and (ii) a sense that the sensory content is real. Influential models of schizophrenic hallucination claim that both the sensory content and the sense of reality can be explained in terms of metacognitive dysfunction. This chapter assesses whether such a claim holds for schizophrenic and drug-induced hallucinations; it further attempts to determine the actual role of metacognition [...]
Lire la suiteA dangerous method ? Psychedelic therapy at Modum Bad, Norway, 1961–76 Petter Grahl Johnstad History of Psychiatry, 2020, 1–10 Doi : 10.1177/0957154X19894537 Abstract After many years of disregard, the use of psychedelic drugs in psychiatric treatment has re-emerged in recent years. The prospect that psychedelics may again be integrated into mainstream psychiatry has aroused interest in long-forgotten research and experience from the previous phase of psychedelic therapy, which lasted from the late 1940s to the 1970s. This article will discuss one large-scale psychedelic therapy programme at Modum Bad Nervesanatorium, a psychiatric clinic which treated 379 inpatients with psychedelic drugs during the years 1961–76. The psychiatrists [...]
Lire la suiteExploring ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Elena ARGENTO, Rielle CAPLER, Gerald THOMAS, Philippe LUCAS & Kenneth W. TUPPER Drug and Alcohol Review, 2019 Doi : 10.1111/dar.12985 Abstract Introduction and Aims. A previous observational study of ayahuasca-assisted therapy demonstrated statistically significant reductions in self-reported problematic cocaine use among members of an Indigenous community in Canada. This paper aims to qualitatively explore the impact of ayahuasca assisted therapy on addiction and other substance use-related outcomes and elucidate the lived experiences of participants. Design and Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 adult Indigenous participants of the ayahuasca-assisted [...]
Lire la suitePsychedelics in History and World Religions, Editorial Michael James Winkelman Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 2019, 3, (2), pp. 41–42 Doi : 10.1556/2054.2019.021 Recent research has given new hope that psychedelics might provide important tools for treating some of our more intractable ailments. Assessment of the therapeutic applications of psychedelics for various conditions (Winkelman & Sessa, 2019) offers tantalizing promises of what may be seen as miracle cures for their immediate results and effectiveness. As new technologies expand our understandings of the effects of these substances, we are entering a new epoch of understanding the systemic effects of psychedelics on the brain. These findings regarding the [...]
Lire la suiteTherapeutic Bases of Psychedelic Medicines : Psycho-integrative Effects Michael J. WINKELMAN chapter 1, in "PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINE: SOCIAL, CLINICAL, AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES" january 2007, pp 1-19. INTRODUCTION For thousands of years, human beings have used medicinal plants to enhance their health and well-being. In cultures around the world, plants commonly referred to as psychedelic, hallucinogens, and entheogens have played central roles in their healing practices. These vision-inducing plants have also played important roles in the religious and spiritual practices of many societies, evoking powerful emotional, cognitive, and therapeutic reactions. These plants that were central to concepts of health, spirituality, and well-being were, however, demonized and rejected [...]
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