“Never do drugs!” Constantly, throughout childhood and adolescence, it is drilled into our brains that drugs will ruin our lives. However, new research is indicating that some drugs may be a positive influence in many aspects of our mental health. No, I’m not trying to tell you that shooting heroin or snorting cocaine will cause you any benefit. But, when clinically mediated, use of hallucinogenic (psychedelic) substances such as lysergic acid diethyl-amide, LSD (colloquially known as acid), and psilocybin, the active chemical in “magic mushrooms”, may lead to a healthier perspective on life. But how can illegal drugs offer any benefits?
An artist’s rendition of the mindfulness experienced during an acid (LSD) trip
Can you tell me a time that you’ve felt not as a human, but as an internal cog in a non-definitive life force that extents through you? Experiencing an unfathomable connection between your soul and each fibre of every living thing on the Earth. For an instance, you understand that your reality is a nothing but a tribute to life itself. The answer for most: “of course not, I’m not crazy..?”. This is how I would best describe the awe-inspiring experiences I have had with the mind-reviling effects of psychedelics. No, I’m not insane. But these experiences have changed the way I view the world, amplifying my appreciation of life, and allowing me to see existence in a new and humbling way.
Chemical structure of LSD
Now my claims may seem outlandish, but studies at Imperial college London have illuminated the therapeutic mind-expanding effects of psychedelic drugs for those with depression, addiction, death anxiety, PTSD, and even for the general public. As world renowned psychedelic drug researcher Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris explains in interviews with CNN and presentations with TEDx: “This experience is sometimes framed in a religious or spiritual way — and seems to be associated with improvements in well-being after the drug’s effects have subsided”.
With the use of modern brain-imaging technology, Dr. Carhart-Harris is attempting to reduce the public stigma on these kinds of drugs. MRI brain imaging scans, when compared to a placebo, have displayed a mind ‘lit up’ with unified activity under LSD conditions. Results of mindfulness questionnaires, taken by LSD users in the same study, emphasize a sense of openness and optimism while experiencing the drug’s effects.
MRI scans from Dr. Carhart-Harris’ study. This image reveals that, with eyes closed, much more of the brain contributes to a unifed visual experience under LSD conditions than with a placebo.
This area of study is young. Extensive research is required before LSD and psilocybin are removed from the dangerous drug index. Education is vital for people to understand the benefits these drugs can offer. I believe the improved respect for Earth and all its organisms may be the key for peace for those effected with mental illnesses and a cure for the hate that is far too present in society today. Through my personal experiences, I can assure that psychedelics facilitate beneficial reshaping of your way of thinking. In turn, these substances could create a more positive, harmonious world with acceptance and contentment through revised perspectives.
Joey Krahn
