Demystifying Psychedelics: A Primer on Mind-Altering Science
Psychedelics have a long history in indigenous cultures, and their therapeutic potential has rekindled interest in these compounds.
What are psychedelics? The term means “mind manifesting” and refers to compounds that alter consciousness by activating serotonin receptors in the brain. They have captivated the imagination by producing profound, mystical states, visual hallucinations, ego dissolution, and life-changing insights.
Indigenous cultures have long valued psychedelics for spiritual practices. The Aztecs consume psilocybin mushrooms as “divine mushrooms.” Amazonian tribes drink ayahuasca, a DMT-containing brew, to enter supernatural realms and receive healing visions. Contemporary recreational use also soared, starting in the counterculture of the 1960s.
Psychedelics can be divided into three chemical classes based on core structures — tryptamines like psilocybin, phenethylamines like mescaline, and ergolines like LSD. They mimic serotonin and bind to the 2A subtype of serotonin receptors to alter consciousness.
By binding serotonin receptors, psychedelics like psilocybin activate neural pathways, gene expression, and connectivity between neurons to enhance neural plasticity. PET and fMRI imaging has also shown that psilocybin quiets the brain’s “default mode network,” which is hypothesized to cause feelings of ego dissolution.
Psychedelic users describe the experience as meditative or spiritual. There is even evidence linking psychedelics to lasting increases in openness and eco-conscious behaviors.
Contrary to popular belief, psychedelics are considered safe, non-addictive, and rarely toxic when taken in proper settings. Scientists are now overcoming legal barriers to study their therapeutic potential. Early research shows the compounds have beneficial effects on alcoholism, depression, OCD, and cluster headaches. The FDA has granted psilocybin and MDMA “breakthrough therapy” status for expedited regulatory approval. Unfortunately, the legal status of these drugs has not changed; they are still illegal under federal law.
However, there are some signs of changing attitudes toward psychedelics. In 2019, the FDA approved esketamine (Spravato), an enantiomer of ketamine, as the first new class of medication in 35 years. Esketamine is a rapid-acting, legal anesthetic that is now being used to treat treatment-resistant depression and suicidal thinking.
The approval of esketamine for psychiatric use shows that regulators are opening up to the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds. While recreational use remains illegal, doctors can now leverage one of these substances for mental health treatment, where traditional pharmaceutical options have failed.
As research continues to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, we may see further approvals for medical use. The future will be one wild trip.
References
Kelmendi, B., Kaye, A. P., Pittenger, C., & Kwan, A. C. (2022). Psychedelics. Current biology : CB, 32(2), R63–R67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.12.009
Wikipedia contributors. (2024, January 6). Psychedelic drug. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:08, January 22, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Psychedelic_drug&oldid=1193972570
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence from Anthropic.
