What comes to mind when you hear or read the word ‘psychedelic’? For those of a certain generation, you may imagine incense permeating the air, the music of Jimi Hendrix reverberating through the room, while tie dye wearing hippies are sitting on Indian print covered futons as they gaze at colors and designs through spread fingers. “Oh wow, man.” How groovy is that? Psychedelics figured prominently in Tom Wolfe’s anthemic 60s novel, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, in which other creatives of the time called themselves The Merry Pranksters and boarded a bus they called Furthur to take them on their adventures exploring inner and outer realms.
What Are Psychedelics and How Do They Work?
Psychedelic drugs are substances that alter perception and mood and affect a number of cognitive processes. The classic psychedelics include MDMA aka “ecstasy” or “molly,” LSD, Psilocybin or “magic mushrooms,” Ayahuasca and Ibogaine.
According to the NIH, “3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception (awareness of surrounding objects and conditions). It is chemically similar to both stimulants and hallucinogens, producing feelings of increased energy, pleasure, emotional warmth, and distorted sensory and time perception.” What impact does MDMA have on the brain? It releases chemicals that carry with them both quality of life enhancements and risks.
- Dopamine—produces increased energy/activity and acts in the reward system to reinforce behaviors.
- Norepinephrine—increases heart rate and blood pressure, which are particularly risky for people with heart and blood vessel problems.
- Serotonin—affects mood, appetite, sleep, and other functions. It also triggers hormones that affect sexual arousal and trust. The release of large amounts of serotonin likely causes the emotional closeness, elevated mood, and empathy felt by those who use MDMA.
Psychedelics in Therapeutic Settings
MDMA and other psychedelics, used as an adjunct for psychotherapy, have growing credibility among mental health and medical professionals. Now, the substances are being incorporated into medically supervised psychotherapy sessions. A piece called “Psychedelic trips could soon be part of therapy — here’s what those sessions will look like” explains the process by which clients are offered psychedelic substances as an adjunct to more mainstream interventions.
According to scientists and clinicians who incorporate psychedelic “medicines” into their sessions, the purpose is to offer the various components of the brain a means of having enhanced communication that might otherwise be limited as a result of depression, PTSD, addiction, chronic pain, and OCD.
Research participants are carefully screened for physical and mental health risks; for example, people who have psychotic disorders as well as those who have elevated blood pressure are not recommended for psychedelic-assisted therapy. Once the participants are clear to enter the treatment protocol, they are typically placed in a comfortable position in a room with eye shades, soothing music, and the instruction to contemplate the issues they are interested in treating prior to ingesting the drug. They are accompanied at all times by two staff members for support. Dialogue takes place between the therapist(s) and client during the session and in a subsequent session the next day to process what occurred.
Exploring the Possibilities and Making Informed Choices
There are a number of books available to consult on the subject that offer a window into the myriad options. Bestselling author, Michael Pollan, who penned How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, provides resources for consideration.
“Compared with other drugs, psychedelics seldom affect people the same way twice, because they tend to magnify whatever’s already going on both inside and outside one’s head.” — Michael Pollan
If you are wondering if you are a good candidate for trying a psychedelic substance, I would be happy to help you figure that out, as well as figuring out the best environment for doing so through psychedelic use integration counseling.