Can meditation and psychedelics have the same benefits for your mind?
“Psilocybin administered properly and under supervision can see a change in emotional well-being,” said Barrett. “Meditation is also an established method.”
The point? “One is pharmaceutical and one isn’t,” said Barrett. To find out their similarities, and potentially combine them as a treatment, his team are currently studying the brains of people with long-term Buddhist meditation practices by imaging their brain activity inside an fMRI scanner while they meditate. Participants are divided into groups for researchers to better determine the effect on meditation — and their brain — after taking low and high doses of psilocybin, or a placebo. The trial is currently ongoing, but preliminary results are promising. “It’s too early to say, but so far we’ve seen positive effects of psilocybin on well-being and mediation practices.” “Psilocybin could be a second-line treatment for patients who meditation doesn’t work for,” said Barrett. Another idea is the use of these drugs to help people explore their consciousness and improve their ability to concentrate — and eventually meditate. “Psilocybin can be a gateway into meditation…to show you experiences and to have insight into yourself,” said Peter Addy from Yale University School of Medicine and founding member of the Yale Psychedelic Science Group.
From the Article: Can meditation and psychedelics have the same benefits for the mind?
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