“If hallucinogens prove effective in treating substance abuse, they would address a massive unmet need. They’d also possibly force a change in how we think about the dysfunction that underlies these conditions.” In the past, addiction was cast as a moral failing. Today it’s variously seen as a psychiatric condition, a learning disorder, or a…
“Scientists found the drug actually elevates an innate language ability.” Family and her colleagues asked 10 volunteers to come into the lab twice and complete a picture-naming task. In one session, participants received a dose of LSD, while in the other they got a placebo. The dose of LSD was enough to cause psychedelic effects…
“McGlothlin, who was one of the study’s early participants three years ago, had gone cold turkey, attended smoking cessation classes and practiced behavioral modification. He said psychedelics gave him a sense of peace and clarity that enabled him to give up cigarettes. “ In recent years, researchers have investigated a number of possible ways that…
“Leanna Standish, a researcher at the University of Washington School of Medicine, estimated that “on any given night in Manhattan, there are a hundred ayahuasca ‘circles’ going on.” The self-help guru Tim Ferriss told me that the drug is everywhere in San Francisco, where he lives. “Ayahuasca is like having a cup of coffee here,”…
Thirty minutes ago you were given a controlled dose of a highly potent, and highly illegal, hallucinogenic compound—all in the name of science. Unlike psychedelics, drugs of abuse such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and nicotine strongly stimulate the brain’s dopamine system, which is critical for their habit-forming potential. Neuroscientists have recently studied the effects of psilocybin…
Now rigorously designed experiments confirm that while recreational use can be dangerous hallucinogens can actually change people for the better—often permanently. What’s remarkable about the recent psilocybin experiments is not just their dramatic effects but the time frame. Personality shifts tend to be slow and gradual in adulthood, barring a sudden trauma, says University of…
After an ibogaine trip, users tend to describe experiences with a powerful other who describes to them how the world works, including the steps they must take to align themselves to their true paths. Like many other hallucinogens, ibogaine—the psychoactive compound derived from the roots of the iboga tree—induces several hours of awe, insight, and…
The study, conducted by researchers in the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions and Research Institute on Addictions (RIA), appeared in the online edition of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors in August. The study’s lead author is Philip H. Smith, PhD, a recent doctoral graduate of the UB School of Public Health…
“Lead researcher Katrin Preller of the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich explained that psilocybin has much more specific targets than antidepressants currently on the market.” It’s too small of a study to draw any strong conclusions from, and the participants were all healthy — they didn’t actually suffer from severe social anxiety or depression. But…
“Now researchers at the University of B.C. say the drugs may help curb domestic violence committed by men with substance abuse problems”. The UBC Okanagan study, published last week in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that 42 per cent of U.S. adult male prisoners who did not take psychedelic drugs after their release were arrested…
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