Although it may still seem taboo, the recent resurgence of psychedelic research has pushed their use into a more mainstream and accepted topic of conversation. If you are considering recreational use or participation in a clinical trial, it is highly encouraged to discuss this with your doctor. A prescreening of your overall physiological health can help reassure your safety and catch any risk factors such as heart conditions or specific mental disorders. As a patient, asking questions is the most valuable tool at your disposal. More and more medical professionals are becoming educated on this topic in an effort to minimize risk and encourage safe usage. A second opinion is always beneficial, and your healthcare provider should be willing to openly discuss psychedelic usage. Although some doctors may recognize the medical benefits of psychedelic use, they may be reluctant to openly endorse them due to legality issues. Until FDA approval and DEA descheduling happens, medical professionals will not be able to fully explore psychedelics. However, the doctor-patient relationship is built on trust and open communication. The role of your healthcare provider is to guide your health journey and give you informed medical advice.

The human brain is organized into multiple large-scale networks. Think of these networks as concentrated hubs in the brain, where signals are constantly passed back and forth. As we go about our lives, each network adjusts its level of activity and level of communication with the others. A happy, healthy brain is one where our networks talk back and forth appropriately, allowing us to think clearly and go about our daily tasks efficiently. Psychedelics act by loosening the reins of our brain connectivity, breaking the typical network structure, and allowing different brain regions that normally don’t communicate, to send signals and messages. This loosening effect can be especially beneficial for those with abnormally rigid brain pathways – a neurobiological characteristic of many different psychiatric disorders. Here is another, more poetic explanation: “Psychedelics shake the snow globe in your brain, and when that snow settles, it settles in a different pattern, allowing you to break your patterns.” – Michael Pollan

The practice of microdosing is typically defined as taking 5-10% of a full dose of a psychedelic (usually LSD or psilocybin) in a multi-day regimen. It is a fairly recent phenomenon, and sudden popular interest has most likely stemmed from the growing evidence of the therapeutic benefits of high-dose psychedelics. There have been many large claims as to the positive effects of microdosing psychedelics. Proponents claim a variety of psychological benefits, such as increases in productivity, creativity, focus, analytic thinking, positive mood, and general well being. Because much of the microdosing happening in society is recreational and often not rigorously measured, it is difficult to say whether or not the proclaimed effects are truly a result of the microdosing itself. In taking such a miniscule dose of a drug, it opens the door for the placebo effect, which is what many researchers claim is the true reason for reported positive effects. Microdosing is an underresearched topic, and it’s far too soon to validate the claims of therapeutic benefit. A 2021 study attempted to investigate this phenomenon in a more controlled manner, recruiting microdosers to self-blind themselves by alternating between actual psychedelics and a placebo. However, no significant differences were found between the placebo and microdose group. When looking at the outcomes over the course of the study, results confirmed the psychological benefits reported by anecdotes, but these benefits are most likely explained by the placebo effect.

Like any compound that alters our physiology, psychedelic drugs come with inherent risks. Psychedelics are unique in the way that they have the most potential for psychological harm rather than physical. Some clinical observations suggest that during a psychedelic experience, some unconscious psychological material (memories, repressed emotions or thoughts) may be activated, and if not properly worked through, could cause distress or difficulty. Individuals who experience adverse reactions to psychedelic drugs are typically already suffering from psychotic symptoms. For this reason, those with schizophrenia or other similar mental disorders (bipolar disorder) are discouraged from participating in psychedelic use. The risks of psychedelic drug administration have been well documented, and every clinical trial has a procedure in place to minimize these risks for each participant. Vital signs are taken before and after dose administration. These compounds have been shown to possess relatively low physiological toxicity, with no organ damage or neuropsychological deficits. Some physiological symptoms may occur during a psychedelic experience, such as dizziness, weakness, or moderate increases in heart rate and blood pressure. These effects are relatively unimpressive even at very high doses.

The word psychedelic is derived from the Greek words “psyche” and “delos,” translating to “mind manifesting.” Psychedelic drugs are characterized by their hallucinogenic effect, altering the cognition (the way we think) and perception (the way we see) of those who take them.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy is an innovative type of psychotherapy that involves the administration of a psychedelic drug. This technique has been thoroughly researched by credible, university-affiliated laboratories, and clinical results have consistently shown safety and efficacy, even for patients with “treatment-resistant” conditions. The therapy itself is a weeks-long program supervised by medical professionals, including multiple sessions of psychotherapy. A certain amount of these sessions include the oral administration of a psychedelic compound, where again, the experience is facilitated by a mental health professional. Participants are usually encouraged to let their mind roam free, wearing eyeshades and listening to curated music. These sessions are generally preceded and followed by drug-free sessions, where patients can prepare for and review their thoughts and emotions, receiving psychological support throughout.

Psychedelic drugs are not typically considered drugs of dependence, and studies have shown that they do not cause compulsive drug-seeking. They are also not associated with any withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, there is little to no risk that psychedelics will leave users physically or psychologically dependent on these compounds.

There have been studies on the efficacy of psychedelic therapy for a multitude of mental health conditions, including Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as both alcohol and tobacco use disorders. All of these patient populations have shown significant improvement in their respective mental health conditions, however, it is important to focus on placebo-controlled trials, which lead to more reliable results. The more rigorous studies that demonstrated effective psychedelic treatment were testing a variety of patient populations: Anxiety associated with life-threatening illness Depression/anxiety stemming from life-threatening cancer Chronic PTSD Treatment-resistant Major Depressive Disorder Socially anxious adults with autism As the field of psychedelic research continues to grow, higher funding and resources will allow more labs to conduct large-scale, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

This is a difficult question to answer, as each person’s experience is subjective. The experience is incredibly reliant on set and setting. This means your preconceived notions, attitudes, and expectations can all slightly alter how you feel after taking a psychedelic. This is where the fear of a "bad trip" often stems from. A negative psychedelic experience can be uncomfortable, but is usually just the result of uncontrolled set and setting. One thing we know for sure, is that your feelings and behavior during a psychedelic experience are a direct result of the chemical signals occurring in the brain. However, this is a very scientific explanation for an experience that tends to feel very unscientific, with some even describing it as “mystical” or “spiritual.” One research study showed that psychedelic drugs decrease the activity in a brain network associated with self-related processing and thinking. This may explain why many tend to feel a sense of “oneness” with their environment. As the typical patterns of this network dissolve, so does the boundary between “self” and our external reality.

Yes – with certain exceptions. Psychedelic drugs (LSD, psilocybin, DMT, mescaline, peyote, MDMA) are all currently classified under the Schedule I Narcotics List. This means that according to the United States federal law, psychedelics are considered to have no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse. Another drug you may recognize on this list is marijuana, which is widely prescribed as medical treatment across the country. The results of modern psychedelic research have become too promising to ignore. In 2018, the FDA designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” in the treatment of depression. In 2021, for the first time in five decades, the US government issued a federal grant for the study of psychedelics. These funds were granted to three universities: New York University, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. All three of these institutions will collaborate on a three year study of psilocybin as an addiction treatment for smokers. MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD is in its last phase of clinical trials, and if the results continue to be significant, a New Drug Application will be submitted to the FDA in the first half of 2023. In terms of legality, Oregon has become the first state to fully decriminalize the use of psychedelics. Washington, California, Michigan, and Massachusetts have decriminalized psychedelics in select municipalities. Little by little, public attitude toward the use of these drugs is shifting; however, credible research will be the major catalyst for the future changes in federal law.