Psychedelics are promising, and it's important to learn of their complexities and capitalist interests. It is also important to understand that psychedelics are not a panacea for all mental...
Psychedelics are promising, and it's important to learn of their complexities and capitalist interests.
It is also important to understand that psychedelics are not a panacea for all mental suffering and require the same precautions as any other medical treatment -- I'm very aware that my particular diagnosis prevents me from using those, as my doctor makes sure to emphasize.
That said, this must have been one of the most hopeful LWT segments ever, they clearly had to dig for negatives.
Off-topic, but it's nice to see John Oliver talking about something that does not make him super angry and bitter from start to finish. The guy needs a break sometimes :P
I took some psilocybin unassisted a few years ago, just 2.5 grams, and it’s a milestone event in my life. I meditated for a few hours and was able to punch a hole in a depressive episode I’d been...
I took some psilocybin unassisted a few years ago, just 2.5 grams, and it’s a milestone event in my life. I meditated for a few hours and was able to punch a hole in a depressive episode I’d been in. The drug also showed me some of the next few steps I wanted to take as a person. I know John said to take it in a controlled setting but if your problems aren’t too intense then personal use in nature seems to work really well.
I’d describe a trip like that as a mental marathon. You’re going to be tripping for hours and you need the stamina to hike yourself out once you’ve hiked in.
I think mushroom trips should be offered to everyone, perhaps in college in controlled settings (for consistency and liability). Thinking about a world where everyone gets to use their adult brain to review how their brain got built as a child makes me optimistic for the future.
Not quite. Generally speaking, those with a history of mania or psychosis should avoid these substances. At least for now. In the future, it may be possible to identify patients prone to those...
I think mushroom trips should be offered to everyone
Not quite. Generally speaking, those with a history of mania or psychosis should avoid these substances. At least for now. In the future, it may be possible to identify patients prone to those reactions even before the first episode. The science still need to establish dosages and preventive measures for those special cases. But there's a possibility that some patients will never be able to benefit from psychedelics.
Speaking from intuition, psychedelics could intensify depersonalization (the feeling or belief that your body is external to yourself, that the mind observes from the outside), which is a feature of schizophrenia. Not to mention the risk of triggering mania or, worse, a psychotic episode.
Agreed! Psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide are great but not for everyone. The enormous spike in neuroplasticity is excellent for aiding in changing yourself, but it's crucial to understand...
Agreed! Psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide are great but not for everyone. The enormous spike in neuroplasticity is excellent for aiding in changing yourself, but it's crucial to understand that you can also lose yourself.
Speaking as a mental patient, it seems to me that certain substances present the opportunity for people to experience, briefly and in a controlled way, states of mind that others spend their...
Speaking as a mental patient, it seems to me that certain substances present the opportunity for people to experience, briefly and in a controlled way, states of mind that others spend their entire lives trying to avoid and overcome.
A trip can be pleasurable and educational. But if it never ended, you might be desperate to get out.
Psychedelics are promising, and it's important to learn of their complexities and capitalist interests.
It is also important to understand that psychedelics are not a panacea for all mental suffering and require the same precautions as any other medical treatment -- I'm very aware that my particular diagnosis prevents me from using those, as my doctor makes sure to emphasize.
That said, this must have been one of the most hopeful LWT segments ever, they clearly had to dig for negatives.
Off-topic, but it's nice to see John Oliver talking about something that does not make him super angry and bitter from start to finish. The guy needs a break sometimes :P
I took some psilocybin unassisted a few years ago, just 2.5 grams, and it’s a milestone event in my life. I meditated for a few hours and was able to punch a hole in a depressive episode I’d been in. The drug also showed me some of the next few steps I wanted to take as a person. I know John said to take it in a controlled setting but if your problems aren’t too intense then personal use in nature seems to work really well.
I’d describe a trip like that as a mental marathon. You’re going to be tripping for hours and you need the stamina to hike yourself out once you’ve hiked in.
I think mushroom trips should be offered to everyone, perhaps in college in controlled settings (for consistency and liability). Thinking about a world where everyone gets to use their adult brain to review how their brain got built as a child makes me optimistic for the future.
Not quite. Generally speaking, those with a history of mania or psychosis should avoid these substances. At least for now. In the future, it may be possible to identify patients prone to those reactions even before the first episode. The science still need to establish dosages and preventive measures for those special cases. But there's a possibility that some patients will never be able to benefit from psychedelics.
Speaking from intuition, psychedelics could intensify depersonalization (the feeling or belief that your body is external to yourself, that the mind observes from the outside), which is a feature of schizophrenia. Not to mention the risk of triggering mania or, worse, a psychotic episode.
Agreed! Psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide are great but not for everyone. The enormous spike in neuroplasticity is excellent for aiding in changing yourself, but it's crucial to understand that you can also lose yourself.
Speaking as a mental patient, it seems to me that certain substances present the opportunity for people to experience, briefly and in a controlled way, states of mind that others spend their entire lives trying to avoid and overcome.
A trip can be pleasurable and educational. But if it never ended, you might be desperate to get out.