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A Psychedelic Renaissance

philanthropy.com

81–90 of 109 posts

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the risk of overselling the benefits and downplaying the risk, I'll say this: even the trips I've had that were hell in the moment have (at least seemed to) teach me something about myself, and I don't regret them in the least. This isn't to say that a bad trip is something to be sought after, and you should definitely read up on set and setting before tripping (I would recommend being outdoors in the country on p…

Just to add my own experience. I am an experienced user of psychedelics with a lot of trips under my belt. The last time I took LSD I wound up thinking that my existence on earth was part of a universe that I myself had generated as the totality of subjective consciousness and thought I had control over it. In a fit of excitable mania I ran around my sitter's home and leapt off their second story balcony. I'm still r…

you don't sound very experienced at all lol

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#82
post #33
post #2

The funding discussed here is for scientific studies. But it's not clear what important question is still open and needs further study. From what I've read [1, 2, 3, 4], the psychological benefits are well-established and powerful if used in the right mindset, and the health risks are also well-established and rare or minor if used carefully. So science seems to have answered the questions it can answer. The obstacle…

Here's one scientific question I'd like to see answered: If a patient is currently taking anti-depressants (or other meds) for the treatment of PTSD, depression, or addiction, and if a physician thinks a psychedelic treatment might help, how should they understand the interaction between the psych meds and the hallucinogen? Since we're dealing with ill people, a larger amount of care is warranted.

There is a large pool to draw upon for reference informally - experiences of users who did so without skipping doses.

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#83

This recent interview [1] with Jamie Wheal, co-author of Stealing Fire [2] is worth watching if you're interested in this topic. He's observed the psychedelic "revolution" in recent years, and has both positive and negative things to say about it, but on the whole he's deeply pessimistic about where it seems to be going. His observations about fashion-driven, Instagram-performative "enlightenment", and the propensity…

I really wonder if anyone ever really does anything for themselves anymore. Every experience, even the most intimate and introspective ones, seem to be telegraphed and advertised as a part of your "branded identity"

Hi, yes, thank you & welcome to the Society of the Spectacle.

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#84
post #51

From my experience, everything mentioned in the article can be "treated" with meditation. I say treated in quotes because all this is self-caused and treatment is only to realize that it's actually me is the one who is causing stress and anxiety to myself. Once this is realized these things disappear in a matter of days. Meditation is long-established, safe, legal, available to everyone regardless of any status or co…

ah cool you totally solved all mental health problems. thanks!

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#85

I would love to try a psychedelic trip with a trained therapist guiding me toward facing my fears. I’m generally a pretty anxious person (diagnosed with OCD, managed with ERP therapy), and I feel pretty confident that it would force me to face that part of me. I have no doubt that it’d be a beneficial experience. Buuuuut... part of me is super nervous about what I might also find. It’s like part of my mind wants to e…

As a step in that direction, have you considered propanalol with a trained therapist? It's non-narcotic

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#86
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's too bad this quote was published by Dan Baum in Harper's 22 years after Ehrlichman might have said it and after Ehrlichman was not alive to confirm. I would say the quotes around the text are not really appropriate for this most important of historical memories. It is not like something recorded on the Nixon tapes. From the same CNN article we have the Ehrlichman children saying: "The 1994 alleged 'quote' we saw…

The Ehrlichman quote was first published by Dan Baum in his 1997 book, Smoke and Mirrors. This book came out before Ehrlichman died, and it included other interviews with Nixon staffers that supported the Ehrlichman quote. The book was reviewed by the New York Times.

I believe that this quote was not published in that book, and instead he "remembered" the quote years after the book was published to put in a Harper's article. He chose not to publish it in the book because he was focused on first hand accounts of the time period, not people's statements in retrospect.

Do you know the page number this quote appears on?

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#87

This recent interview [1] with Jamie Wheal, co-author of Stealing Fire [2] is worth watching if you're interested in this topic. He's observed the psychedelic "revolution" in recent years, and has both positive and negative things to say about it, but on the whole he's deeply pessimistic about where it seems to be going. His observations about fashion-driven, Instagram-performative "enlightenment", and the propensity…

I really wonder if anyone ever really does anything for themselves anymore. Every experience, even the most intimate and introspective ones, seem to be telegraphed and advertised as a part of your "branded identity"

This is a prime example of selection bias.

How would you even know if the vast majority of things people are doing don't get broadcast regularly if the things these people are doing does not get broadcast regularly?

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#88
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At the risk of overselling the benefits and downplaying the risk, I'll say this: even the trips I've had that were hell in the moment have (at least seemed to) teach me something about myself, and I don't regret them in the least. This isn't to say that a bad trip is something to be sought after, and you should definitely read up on set and setting before tripping (I would recommend being outdoors in the country on p…

The best advice I ever got about drugs was this: “Whatever happens, just remember it’s only the drugs. It’s all gonna be over tomorrow” Has really helped me any time I start overanalyzing what’s going on and how I’m feeling. Psychedelics or otherwise. It’s just the drugs, it will pass.

It may not always pass. Sometimes you get DPDR and you’re trapped in an endless hell from which few escape. Be careful out there.

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#89
post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I'm saying this only because last 1.5 years I'm doing my kriya practice which includes meditation, breathing technic and few other things and it has been working wonderfully - since I "got it" I never had a single bad day. I am comparing this to having occasional bursts of depression, loneliness, self-doubt for a few years before. I did not try strong psychedelics but the problem with them as with any kind of dr…

>I did not try strong psychedelics but the problem with them as with any kind of drug is the effect wears off inevitably. If you feel great for some time, going back becomes even more terrible than staying there, because now you know there are better states. This is hard to claim if you've never tried it. Personally when I do a shroom trip I don't even feel like doing it again until months later. I've done it like 8…

>The effects are permanent in a very good way. It's a trip, same as you travel to a different exotic country and explore a different world, the memories, the feelings you experienced and the knowledge you gained will stay with you.

You just said yourself that effect is not permanent

Re: A Psychedelic Renaissance

#90
post #60

This recent interview [1] with Jamie Wheal, co-author of Stealing Fire [2] is worth watching if you're interested in this topic. He's observed the psychedelic "revolution" in recent years, and has both positive and negative things to say about it, but on the whole he's deeply pessimistic about where it seems to be going. His observations about fashion-driven, Instagram-performative "enlightenment", and the propensity…

I think there's a Hegelian-esque pendulum to it. Discretionary uses of mind-altering drugs, especially those that have been prominent in youth culture, pop culture and party culture face massive resistance. Look how long cannabis is taking to reach legalization. Look at the barriers to medical scientists who want to study psychedelics. In that sort of environment, it's near inevitable that the remaining "torch bearer…

What is "spiritual use"?
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