Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
Petr Winkler, Ladislav Csémy
36 citations
Mental health professionals who participated in legal LSD research in former Czechoslovakia reported no long-term negative effects from their self-experiments. In structured interviews with 22 individuals, all but two described enrichment in self-awareness or understanding of people with mental disorders. Despite concerns about preventing adverse reactions, respondents supported self-experimentation with LSD in mental health science. This work is the first systematic examination of psychedelic self-experimentation behind the Iron Curtain.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 2, 2018
Joselaine Ida Da Cruz, Solange Aparecida Nappo
35 citations
Crack cocaine users in Brazil who consumed ayahuasca tea in a religious context reported reduced drug use and, in some cases, abstinence. In interviews with 40 users, participants described that ayahuasca allowed them to access a dimension of consciousness that helped solve problems and traumas, leading to decreased crack cocaine consumption. The religious ceremony enhanced spirituality, and community reception provided emotional and social support, boosting self-esteem. These positive experiences were integrated into daily routines. The findings suggest that ayahuasca, within a religious setting, may have therapeutic potential for treating crack cocaine dependence.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 22, 2020
Agustín Lugo-Radillo, Jorge Luis Cortés-lópez
34 citations
A man with obsessive-compulsive disorder experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in his symptoms after consuming psilocybin-containing mushrooms. Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, may offer a treatment option for OCD patients who do not respond to first-line therapies. The case report adds to existing evidence suggesting the effectiveness of psilocybin for OCD symptoms, though further research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of psilocybin and related compounds.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
Jon C. Cole
34 citations
After nearly 30 years of research warning about MDMA's dangers, the expected widespread harm among millions of ecstasy users has not materialized in epidemiological evidence. The precautionary principle has led experts to advise avoiding MDMA, but these dire warnings persist despite a lack of clinically relevant problems. The 'ecstasy paradigm' describes how research funding and publication bias shape public information. The evidence base for MDMA's harms has significant problems, raising the question of whether maintaining this status quo is acceptable given MDMA's therapeutic potential.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
J. C. Callaway
34 citations
Harmine, a main alkaloid in ayahuasca (hoasca), inhibits monoamine oxidase-A and the cytochrome P450 isozyme 2D6, which metabolizes harmine. CYP 2D6 has genetic variations that may cause different effects among users. In 14 experienced male members of the União do Vegetal who received a standardized dose of hoasca, two subgroups of CYP 2D6 phenotypes—fast and slow metabolizers of harmine—were identified. In their religious practice, the presiding mestre individually adjusts the hoasca dose to compensate for metabolic differences and variations in alkaloid content.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 5, 2022
A M McCartney, H T McGovern, A De Foe
33 citations
A thematic analysis of twenty-two first-person accounts of psychedelic use (for ketamine, MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin) identified six factors that shape positive or adverse experiences: three external predictors (nature, music, and preparation) and three internal predictors (understanding, mind-set, and motivation). Each factor contained two sub-themes. Nature and music may help de-escalate adverse reactions. Substance-specific perceptual and sensorial effects also emerged. The findings highlight the importance and interrelationship of preparation, mind-set, understanding, and motivation as common themes. The work represents an early step toward a more nuanced understanding of factors influencing psychedelic experience, with implications for clinical progress and harm reduction.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 7, 2020
Lucas Oliveira Maia, Dimitri Daldegan‐bueno, Luís Fernando Tófoli
33 citations
Ritual ayahuasca use during treatment for severe physical illnesses helps people accept their condition by reshaping how they understand and relate to it. Through introspection, emotional processing, recall of autobiographical memories linked to illness origin, and perspective changes, the experience facilitates illness resignification and a more balanced relationship with illness, life, and death. The findings suggest ayahuasca may promote therapeutic effects for people with physical illnesses by influencing the meanings attached to the illness.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 13, 2017
Khary K. Rigg
33 citations
African American young adults in Southwest Florida use MDMA primarily to alter the effects of marijuana and alcohol, last longer sexually, enhance sexual pleasure, and facilitate "freaky" sexual experiences. These motivations contrast with those commonly reported among largely White users, such as introspection or getting into the music. Findings indicate the need for health messages addressing the risks of mixing MDMA with other drugs and engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors, as well as tailored prevention and harm-reduction efforts for African American users.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 9, 2020
Rafael Lancelotta, Alan K. Davis
32 citations
A survey of 515 people who used the psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT found that most employed strategies to enhance benefits and reduce challenging effects. Among a subset of 116 one-time users, those who used such strategies reported more intense mystical-type experiences and greater lasting personal meaning and spiritual significance, while some strategies were linked to less challenging experiences. The findings suggest benefit-enhancement strategies are common and may boost positive acute and persisting effects, though causal relationships require further longitudinal study.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 28, 2011
Beatriz Caiuby Labate
32 citations
In Brazil, official Resolutions from 2010 categorize ayahuasca consumption by pregnant women and children in the Santo Daime and União do Vegetal religions as an exercise of parental rights, yet this practice remains controversial. The article examines the public debate by consulting biomedical and health specialists, then presents an interview with a Santo Daime follower who consumed ayahuasca during all four pregnancies and whose children also drink it. Her account reveals cultural parameters of use. The analysis explores contradictions between biomedical, anthropological, and users' discourses, raises questions about religious freedom and state intervention in family matters, and considers how science influences drug policy decisions.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 1, 1991
32 citations
Among New Ager seekers, social worlds shape which qualities of the MDMA experience are most valued. Unlike recreational users who see little long-term benefit, New Agers typically believe carefully planned MDMA use holds lasting spiritual or therapeutic potential. Many New Agers avoid alcohol and other drugs but are impressed with MDMA, though motivations differ: some use it as a sacramental adjunct for specific spiritual paths, others for general spiritual growth. The stark contrast between New Agers and recreational users highlights the importance of social worlds and context in understanding drug-using behavior.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 23, 2022
Mitch Earleywine, Fiona Low, Brianna R. Altman et al.
31 citations
People with depressive symptoms consider it somewhat important that guides in psilocybin-assisted therapy have personally used psilocybin. In a survey of over 800 MTurk respondents with depressive symptoms, ratings for the importance of a guide who had used psilocybin exceeded the "somewhat important" level (50 on a 0–100 scale) and were higher than ratings for other guide qualities and for a cognitive behavioral therapist who shared demographics, had depression experience, or received personal therapy. People of color and those with prior therapy gave even higher importance ratings. Participants listed similar desired qualities—proper training and empathy—for both psilocybin guides and CBT therapists. The findings suggest that guides who have used psilocybin and inform clients might enhance therapy's antidepressant effects for some clients.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 25, 2019
Alexandra Vsl Rodrigues, Francisco Almeida, Maria Augusta Vieira‐coelho
30 citations
N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an indole alkaloid found in plants and animals, including humans, with psychoactive effects first described in 1956 but used for centuries by South American indigenous populations in ayahuasca. This review assesses the state of knowledge on endogenous DMT and potential clinical uses of ayahuasca and DMT. The role of endogenous DMT remains unclear, but ayahuasca shows promising results for anxiety, depression, and substance dependence. Given ayahuasca's good safety profile, further research is crucial to develop new psychiatric treatments.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2002
Neil F. Goodman
30 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) primarily acts on the brain's serotonergic diffuse neuromodulatory system, which normally filters sensory information to allow only what is necessary for survival. LSD opens this filter, increasing the amount of somatosensory data processed and heightening the sense of importance attributed to that information. Based on established scientific research and documented personal accounts, the article describes similarities between the effects of LSD and religious mystical experiences. The author proposes that both phenomena may share common modes of action in the brain, potentially opening avenues for research into mysticism and consciousness.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 27, 2014
Clancy Cavnar
29 citations
Gay and lesbian people who drink ayahuasca in ceremonial settings report affirmation of their sexual orientation and no negative effects on their identity. This qualitative study of 17 self-identified gay and lesbian participants who had consumed ayahuasca in shamanic, Santo Daime, or Afro-Brazilian ceremonies within the past three years found that the brew's positive effects on mental states and perceptions of identity, previously observed in general populations, extend to this group. Participants also attributed additional positive changes in other life areas to their ayahuasca sessions.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 1, 1998
R Doblin
29 citations
A long-term follow-up to the Concord Prison Experiment (1961–1963) examined criminal justice records of 21 of the original 32 prisoners who received psilocybin-assisted group psychotherapy. The follow-up found that earlier published claims of reduced recidivism were erroneous. The original researchers had emphasized the need for comprehensive post-release group support, but such services were not sufficiently provided. Whether a new program combining psilocybin-assisted therapy with post-release support could lower recidivism remains an open empirical question.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1989
Oscar Janiger, Marlene Dobkin De Rios
29 citations
In a unique experiment from the late 1950s, artists drew and painted a Kachina doll before and one hour after ingesting LSD. An art history professor evaluated the works and found consistent style shifts: artists whose usual style was representational or abstract moved toward more expressionistic or nonobjective approaches. Other changes included larger size, involution, movement, altered figure/ground boundaries, more intense color and light, oversimplification, symbolic depiction, and fragmentation. Many artists judged their LSD-influenced works as more interesting and aesthetically superior, believing they were creating new meanings for an emergent world.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 8, 2018
27 citations
People who use psychedelic drugs for religious reasons or who identify with a religion tend to report more intense mystical experiences than those who do not. A survey of 119 participants recruited from psychedelic-related websites found that a majority were White males with some post-secondary education. The study measured participants' history of psychedelic use, the context of their use, and their scores on a Mysticism Scale. The results suggest that both religious identification and using psychedelics specifically for religious purposes are associated with higher mysticism scores.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
B. Sessa
26 citations
Psychiatry's reluctance to research psychedelic drugs for medical therapy overlooks compounds with great potential, while users who take them off-license are stigmatized as recreational abusers. Both psychiatrists and recreational users recognize the healing potential of these substances. Resolving this conflict is essential for the future of psychiatric medicine and psychedelic culture. Progress requires professionals to adapt to a conservative paradigm, enabling them to provide important treatments and elevate the profile of expanded consciousness in mainstream society.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 1, 2007
Casey R. Guillot
26 citations
Recreational use of MDMA (Ecstasy) may be linked to long-term mood problems due to its effects on serotonin. This review of 22 studies found that only three showed significantly higher depression scores in Ecstasy users compared to people who used cannabis or other drugs. Most studies had methodological flaws, and depression levels in Ecstasy users were not much higher than in the general population. The evidence for a specific link between Ecstasy use and depression is unconvincing, but using Ecstasy along with other illicit drugs is associated with higher depression. Possible causes include polydrug use, MDMA's effects on serotonin, other drugs' individual effects, combined drug effects, and preexisting depression differences.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 1, 1985
26 citations
A pharmacist argues against the emergency scheduling of MDMA (Ecstasy) as a Schedule I controlled substance, contending that the drug has legitimate therapeutic potential in psychotherapy and that its risks are not sufficiently understood to justify the most restrictive classification. The author reviews the pharmacology, clinical uses, and potential adverse effects of MDMA, and criticizes the scheduling process for lacking thorough scientific evaluation. The piece calls for more research and a more balanced regulatory approach that considers both the benefits and risks of the substance.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 18, 2023
Raman Sharma, Rachel Batchelor, Jacqueline Sin
25 citations
A systematic review of seven studies on psychedelic treatments for substance use disorder and substance misuse found positive results for measures of abstinence, substance use, craving, and withdrawal, but the data were scarce and covered a wide range of addictions (opioid, nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, and unspecified substances). Qualitative synthesis from three studies indicated that psychedelic-assisted treatments enhanced self-awareness, insight, and confidence. However, the review concludes that there is currently insufficient research evidence to suggest the effectiveness of any psychedelic (psilocybin, ibogaine, or ayahuasca) for any specific substance use disorder or misuse.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 28, 2022
Maja Kohek, Genís Oña, Michiel van Elk et al.
25 citations
Regular participation in ayahuasca ceremonies is not linked to relevant health harms. Compared to normative Dutch data, 377 participants (50.1% women, mean age 48.8 years) showed better general well-being, fewer chronic or lifestyle-related diseases, more physical activity, and a more balanced diet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they used less alcohol. Although they used more illegal drugs than the general population, they did not report associated harms. This evidence could inform drug policymakers in developing evidence-based public policies.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
David E. Nichols
24 citations
The Heffter Research Institute, founded in 1993, is the only scientific organization dedicated to studying the medical value of psychedelics, focusing on psilocybin. Its first clinical trial examined psilocybin for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Subsequent studies include a UCLA trial for end-of-life distress in cancer patients, a Johns Hopkins study for anxiety and depression from cancer diagnosis, and a New York University trial nearing completion. A pilot study for alcoholism at the University of New Mexico is also finishing, with a larger two-site trial planned. Other ongoing work includes psilocybin for smoking cessation and effects on long-term meditators. The institute is planning a Phase 3 trial for distress in end-stage cancer patients.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2014
John Rhead
23 citations
A reviewer expresses initial excitement about a forthcoming two-volume work and, after obtaining a copy, reports being largely satisfied with it. The text is a brief, positive book review that does not describe the work's content, findings, or arguments.