Drugs have always been framed as an excuse to escape the pressures of reality. That is however, exactly what it is for. Recent news shows that LSD, a psychedelic drug, can be used to help those with anxiety or mental health issues in low non-hallucinogenic doses. As stressors from the deadly pandemic add to people’s daily life pressures, mental health issues are at an all time high. Reports from the World Health Organization indicate that rates of depression and anxiety have increased 25% worldwide since the pandemic hit. Now more than ever our world needs a viable solution to deal with these rising cases of mental health issues, and psychedelic drugs just may be the solution.
Historically, the status quo around psychedelics and drugs in general have been overwhelmingly negative. Like any other prescription or commonly used drug, too much can result in extremely dangerous side effects or consequences. Specifically with the case of psychedelics, too strong of a dosage can lead to a “bad trip” where the user experiences strong negative side effects like paranoia or risky behaviors. Many associate these side effects of the drug with the rise of psychedelics in the 60s and the hippie lifestyle that was becoming popular at that time. This prominent negative connotation of psychedelics that makes users become crazy and act out has created a stigma around the drugs that deter many from ever thinking about the possibility that psychedelics could be beneficial. However, this skewed view on psychedelics is largely flawed.
When used in an appropriate dosage and environment, psychedelics can produce long lasting positive effects for the user. Most commonly, the drug is known to be a window that opens the eyes of the user to a new way of thinking about life that can increase happiness and reduce negative feelings often associated with anxiety and depression. For example, psilocybin, the main ingredient commonly used in magical mushrooms, was found to have the ability to reduce depression and was even designated as a “breakthrough therapy” drug by the FDA for its ability to do so. Even some celebrities, like actor Kristen Bell, have found mushrooms to help with anxiety and view it as a working alternative to medication since it “the places you can go in your brain (on the drug) are much deeper and more healing than anything else”.
Another popular psychedelic, LSD, has a long history of research that shows it has many strong potential positive effects. Back in the 1950s when the drug was first used for research, a British scientist named Dr. Humphrey Oswald used LSD to help alcoholics recover after becoming sober. Initially, he thought the drug would scare them into wanting to become sober but instead patients found the drug inspired them to want to live life to its fullest extent. Studies on LSD showed it “produced feelings of happiness, trust, empathy, positive social effects, and altruism when used as an adjunctive to psychotherapy”. Positive effects like these of psychedelic drugs show the proven potential they have to be a reliable source of treatment for the many struggling to live with anxiety and depression.
Some states in the US have already realized the potential psychedelics have to treat major issues and have started to decriminalize them in order to conduct more in depth research. States such as Denver, Colorado, New Jersey, and Oregon, plus a few local counties, have decriminalized the drugs significantly while other states such as Rhode Island have built “harm reduction centers” that allow individuals to use psychedelics in a safe and controlled environment under supervision. Steps like this are helping to de-stigmatize the drug and hopefully put psychedelics on a path similar to marijuana.
Allowing for more research on the drugs would not only help inform us about the potential they have to be a viable solution to mental health issues but also inform users on how to prevent the negative side effects of usage. If we neglect the information we already know to be true about these drugs, we are giving up on an opportunity to change the way we view drugs and help users gain full benefits during their experiences. Based on the existing research on psychedelic drugs and the potential it shows to treat so many common disorders, there is a strong need to expand our knowledge of psychedelic’s full powers.
Love this topic. Also love the work being done with ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. I think drugs have been used to label certain groups of people as bad for society. The war on drugs was really a war on the people who do drugs, and the government let us know which people to target by which drug was the bad one. I hate that drugs have been used in this way, although it isn't surprising given our Puritan roots. I hope one day people will not only be able to use all drugs therapeutically, but also will be able to do drugs in a similar way to alcohol: in a way that gives people personal choice while also protecting others…
I want to know the long-term studies about decriminalizing drugs in the U.S. because I know that there is a lot that goes on with the black market and the prices of these drugs after government does so. I know in Portugal they decriminalized all drugs and I think it has been mostly successful. Speaking specifically about psychedelics, I have heard from friends who have tried mushrooms and LSD, mostly great experiences but I know some who had really bad times. I think that because of the drug schedule classifications that make research hard, people are mostly in the dark about these drugs and that is super dangerous for people that want to try them.
I know several people who are confident that responsibly using LSD or mushrooms has significantly improved their depression, anxiety, and/or PTSD. I am all for therapeutic uses of these drugs, as I think they can help people with treatment-resistant issues. However, full legalization could lead to overuse. While I know people who have been helped by these drugs, I also know people who used them every other day for months, and now permanently struggle with mental issues because of it. Decriminalization for research and medical uses is important, however. But I am wary of full legalization.
Its certainly true that we already use a wide array of mind altering drugs in the medical field so I'm not too shocked some of the more stigmatized types can also serve a use. How this ties into the wider war on drugs narrative is quite interesting though. A large part of the legalization of marijuana came from its existing use as a medical aid so maybe we could see a similar thing as society destigmatizes drugs like LSD for the same reason.
This was a really insightful post! I actually read something recently that certain mushrooms that are typically deemed as psychedelics, when used in moderation, can actually have benefits in enhancing focus and productivity. I agree with you, that increased research into the various benefits and effects of various drugs would be a worth while cause to pursue.