Past research suggests that use of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin may have positive effects on mood and feelings of social connectedness. These psychological effects are thought to ...be highly sensitive to context, but robust and direct evidence for them in a naturalistic setting is scarce. In a series of field studies involving over 1,200 participants across six multiday mass gatherings in the United States and the United Kingdom, we investigated the effects of psychedelic substance use on transformative experience, social connectedness, and positive mood. This approach allowed us to test preregistered hypotheses with high ecological validity and statistical precision. Controlling for a host of demographic variables and the use of other psychoactive substances, we found that psychedelic substance use was significantly associated with positive mood—an effect sequentially mediated by self-reported transformative experience and increased social connectedness. These effects were particularly pronounced for those who had taken psychedelic substances within the last 24 h (compared to the last week). Overall, this research provides robust evidence for positive affective and social consequences of psychedelic substance use in naturalistic settings.
Display omitted
•Synergistic strategy based on the ATR-FTIR and IMS for NPS identification.•Discriminating power was remarkably improved after data combination.•Fast and simple identification of ...NBOMe, 2C-X and NBOH in blotters.•Limit of detection values of the order of few µg per blotter.
A synergetic strategy based on the combination of attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) information have been proposed for the analysis of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in seized blotters. Firstly, the discriminating capability of each technique was separately studied and, secondly, the results obtained after combination of the information provided by both techniques were evaluated. It has been demonstrated that the discriminating power was remarkably improved after data combination, indicating a synergetic effect of the analytical approach. The proposed method allowed a first-class identification of NPS on blotter samples by ATR-FTIR by using a spectral library containing around 1000 compounds after paper matrix subtraction. The analysis of blotters after 2-propanol extraction by IMS allowed NPS identification by comparison of the reduced mobility constant with those of a database of NPS standards. The proposed strategy was evaluated with 11 blotter samples that contained DOC, 25I-NBOH, 25E-NBOH, DOM, and LSD, providing the same identity that high resolution mass spectrometry employed as reference methodology. Moreover, determination of NPS by IMS provided results statistically comparable to those obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Therefore, the synergetic combination of ATR-FTIR and IMS allows a simple, fast, and portable identification and quantification of NPS in seized blotters useful for screening purposes in field analysis.
Psychedelic microdosing is the trending practice of using tiny repeated doses of psychedelic substances to facilitate a range of supposed benefits. With only a few published studies to date, the ...subject is still under-researched, and more knowledge is warranted. Social media and internet discussion forums have played a vital role in the growing visibility of the microdosing phenomenon, and the present study utilized YouTube contents to improve comprehension of the microdosing practice as well as the social interactions and discussions around microdosing.
Microdosing self-disclosure in YouTube videos and their following comments were qualitatively analyzed by inductive thematic analysis. Various software was utilized to enable gathering and sorting relevant data.
Microdosing of psychedelic substances, primarily LSD and psilocybin, was used for therapeutic and enhancement purposes, and predominantly beneficial effects were reported. Many different applications and outcomes were discussed, and therapeutic effects for depression appeared especially noteworthy. Intentions for use were recognized as an influencing factor for the progression and outcomes of microdosing. The function of social interactions was mainly to discuss views on the microdosing phenomenon, strategies for optimal results, minimize risks, and share emotional support.
Potentially, microdosing could provide some of the same benefits (for certain conditions) as full-dose interventions with less risk of adverse reactions related to the sometimes intense experiences of higher doses. Microdosing may well also mean additional benefits, as well as risks, through the repeated exposure over extended periods.
A large body of research in the field of psychology currently points to a variety of therapeutic outcomes derived from psychedelically occasioned mystical experience. Moreover, additional research ...suggests that such benefits to mental and emotional well-being may depend directly upon the subjective mystical experience itself, rather than upon the substances that triggered it; for instance, research at Johns Hopkins indicates that higher scores on the MEQ30 or MEQ43 might be key predictors of larger therapeutic outcomes. However, the ‘elephant in the room’ often overlooked in psychological studies is this: What exactly is it about the content of the subjective experience that triggers such significant outcomes or, of deep interest philosophically speaking, what might the mystical experience be an experience of? Could it be that such experiences have a viable ontological referent instead of their being wholly subjective and if so, how might Aldous Huxley’s theory in this regard be weighed in light of current data? The essay includes close discussion of the debate regarding the nature of mystical experiences between Robin Carhart-Harris’ REBUS model (the experiences are wholly subjective, with no ontological referent) vs. Edward Kelly’s ROSTA model (contending an ontological referent need not contradict the science). The essay’s thesis is that Huxley’s viewpoint includes plausible and perhaps valuable insights that may help explain why and how that encounter has such profound therapeutic value.
The psychedelic renaissance has reignited interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for mental health and well-being. An emerging area of interest is the potential modulation of ...psychedelic effects by the gut microbiome—the ecosystem of microorganisms in our digestive tract. This review explores the intersection of the gut microbiome and psychedelic therapy, underlining potential implications for personalized medicine and mental health. We delve into the current understanding of the gut–brain axis, its influence on mood, cognition, and behavior, and how the microbiome may affect the metabolism and bioavailability of psychedelic substances. We also discuss the role of microbiome variations in shaping individual responses to psychedelics, along with potential risks and benefits. Moreover, we consider the prospect of microbiome-targeted interventions as a fresh approach to boost or modulate psychedelic therapy’s effectiveness. By integrating insights from the fields of psychopharmacology, microbiology, and neuroscience, our objective is to advance knowledge about the intricate relationship between the microbiome and psychedelic substances, thereby paving the way for novel strategies to optimize mental health outcomes amid the ongoing psychedelic renaissance.
The purpose of these comments is to correct some mischaracterizations of my work with Paul Bahn that Froese et al. make in their latest paper “Are altered states of consciousness detrimental, useful ...or helpful for the origins of symbolic cognition? A response to Hodgson and Lewis-Williams”. Additionally I discuss neuropsychological errors occurring in that paper.
Noetic insight involves direct access to knowledge beyond that which is available through the five senses or through reason. It typically has to do with sensing the interconnectedness of all things, ...and is informed by a feeling that one knows but without knowing how. Psychedelic substances constitute one vehicle for the production of noetic experiences. Using a biopsychosocial approach, this article explores the shifting contexts for the enjoyment and analysis of noetic experience in twentieth-century American popular and scientific culture, beginning with the psychedelic revolution and culminating in the "quantum computer" turn of brain (and mind). It emerges that the 'feeling of knowing' may be a sensory ability after all, and a key to understanding many other forms of anomalous cognition.
Psychedelics 2.0 Crandall, Russell
Drugs and Thugs,
10/2020
Book Chapter
This chapter focuses on psychedelics as another emerging front in the war over the war on drugs in the mid 2010s, with most psychedelic substances, such as LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin, being ...Schedule I listed since 1970. It explains how the scheduling imposed significant barriers to scientific research on hallucinogenic substances and their effects, through stringent security requirements, FDA approval, and expensive DEA licensing fees for institutions working with the drugs. It also recounts the creation of the Pilot Drug Evaluation Staff by the FDA in 1989, which made it easier for the scientific community to liaise with the administration. The chapter refers to Dr. Richard Strassman, who managed to get a research protocol involving DMT and psilocybin off the ground. It details how Strassman defended his work by arguing that hallucinogens elicit a multifaceted clinical syndrome.
PDF
