Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 2005
23 citations
Many cultures have independently developed socially sanctioned frameworks for using psychedelic substances to foster religious experiences and spiritual insights, often designating certain substances as 'sacraments.' In modern societies where these substances are prohibited, use typically occurs underground and idiosyncratically, leaving individuals to interpret and integrate their experiences alone. This article contrasts the structured, communal 'sacrament' framework with more individualistic forms of psychedelic use, arguing that the former channels experiences in ways that increase the likelihood of personally constructive and socially integrative outcomes.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1976
23 citations
The peyote ritual of the Native American Church may offer therapeutic benefits for alcoholics, based on observations of participants. The ritual's structured setting, group support, and the psychedelic experience itself appear to contribute to reduced drinking and improved social functioning among some attendees. The authors suggest that the combination of spiritual context and pharmacological effects of peyote can facilitate introspection and behavioral change, though they note that outcomes vary and the ritual is not a universal cure. The observations indicate potential for integrating elements of such ethnopsychedelic practices into alcoholism treatment, but controlled studies are lacking.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
November 15, 2023
Anees Bahji, Isis Lunsky, Gilmar Gutierrez et al.
21 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies found that psychedelic-assisted therapies—psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ayahuasca—were well tolerated and produced large reductions in depression symptoms across various diagnoses. Psilocybin showed a large effect (standardized mean difference -1.92) and MDMA a moderate-to-large effect (standardized mean difference -0.71). However, the certainty of the evidence was low to very low due to small sample sizes, blinding issues, study heterogeneity, and publication bias. The results are promising but highlight the need for larger, more rigorous studies.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 8, 2017
21 citations
A physician with refractory bipolar depression chronically self-medicated with N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) augmented with phenelzine, leading to altered mental status, mania, and psychosis. The case explores DMT's potential therapeutic and recreational uses, its theorized mechanism involving agonist activity at 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT2C receptors, and the risks of self-medication, especially among physicians.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Matthew J. Baggott, Kathleen J. Garrison, Jeremy Coyle et al.
20 citations
The drug MDA, an entactogen similar to MDMA (ecstasy), produces longer-lasting emotional and physiological effects than MDMA. In a controlled experiment with healthy volunteers, a single oral dose of 1.4 mg/kg MDA increased heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones (cortisol and prolactin) to levels comparable to those from a 1.5 mg/kg dose of MDMA. However, participants' self-reported drug effects from MDA remained elevated for at least 8 hours, whereas MDMA effects subsided by 6 hours. Blood measurements showed that MDA and its metabolite HMA reached peak concentrations of about 229 µg/L and 92 µg/L, respectively. Because the two drugs had similar blood-level profiles, the longer duration of MDA's effects likely stems from differences in how it acts on the brain rather than from slower elimination.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 1, 1985
Richard Yensen
20 citations
LSD and similar drugs produce psychological effects too powerful and unique to be studied as ordinary psychotropic compounds. Researchers' theoretical expectations strongly influence the subjective effects and treatment outcomes. Double-blind controlled studies are inappropriate for LSD because neither active nor inactive placebos can create an effective blind. Studying human consciousness requires recognizing that measurement methods can alter the processes under investigation, analogous to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle in physics. Current research tools may be so crude that results primarily reflect the effects of measurement itself. Despite these challenges, the need to advance understanding of the human mind demands continued responsible study of these substances, potentially learning from societies that have integrated them into their social order.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 29, 2023
Harrison J Lee, Vivian Wl Tsang, Brandon S Chai et al.
19 citations
Psilocybin shows promise for treating depression, but how it works in the brain is not well understood. This systematic review of 14 studies found evidence that psilocybin may act through changes in serotonin or glutamate receptor activity, increased synaptogenesis, and altered brain activity in regions like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. It also appears to change cerebral blood flow to the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. However, the evidence on functional connectivity and specific receptor activity remains sparse, and the lack of consensus across studies suggests psilocybin's antidepressant effects likely involve multiple pathways, highlighting the need for more research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 6, 2019
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Christopher C. Davoli
19 citations
The surge in psychedelic research during the 1950s and 1960s is often attributed primarily to the discovery of LSD's psychoactive effects in 1943. This article argues that such a 'Great Person' or 'Great Chemical' historiographical lens overlooks other crucial factors. Mescaline was already being studied for psychotherapy and as a psychosis model before LSD. Psilocybin and other psychedelics were also discovered by Western researchers around the same time. Furthermore, dominant zeitgeists in psychology—pharmacological, psychoanalytic, and humanistic—were congruent with psychedelic research. While LSD's discovery may have been a catalyst, a broader psychedelic zeitgeist deserves recognition for setting the stage.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 20, 2014
Rafael Guimarães Dos Santos
19 citations
Ayahuasca, a botanical hallucinogen traditionally used by indigenous groups in the northwest Amazon, has seen its use spread globally. While acute and long-term evidence suggests good tolerability and safety in laboratory or religious settings, little is known about its immunological impact on humans. Given its increasing use and therapeutic potential, more information on potential risks is needed. This article provides a brief overview of available data on ayahuasca's immunological effects in humans.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 1, 2012
James A. Wilcox
19 citations
Former users of alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT) reported that the drug has strong hallucinogenic effects. The most common unwanted side effects included anxiety, nausea, and moderately severe dysphoria. Several users also experienced significant depression, suggesting that AMT use could be dangerous for individuals prone to depression.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
June 1, 2005
Marlene Dobkin De Rios
19 citations
A Shipibo urban shaman in Pucallpa, Peru, distinguishes between authentic folkloric shamanism and the current vogue of drug tourism, where urban men and women offer foreigners paid tours for drug-induced mystical experiences in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador. He views these touristic practices as attempts to resolve personal problems, reflecting a spiritual and psychological crisis in European and North American societies. He laments the misuse of toxic plants added to ayahuasca potions, which harm unsuspecting tourists who receive no real value from inexperienced, dishonest shamans lacking proper preparation and capability.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 1, 1985
Sidney Cohen
19 citations
LSD can produce a variety of psychotic experiences, some resembling delirium or schizophrenia, while others are unique. The neurochemistry and phenomenology of psychotic responses to LSD are better understood than transcendent experiences, partly because endogenous psychoses are more familiar than endogenous cosmic experiences. The LSD state, particularly the unsane condition, remains unexplained. An animal model for it is unlikely, and not all humans may be able to achieve it with hallucinogens. This area still requires exploration and research.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 7, 2024
Sandeep M Nayak, Sydney H White, Samantha N Hilbert et al.
18 citations
A prospective longitudinal study of 657 people planning a psilocybin experience outside a laboratory found that after the experience, participants reported increased perception of minds in various living and non-living entities such as plants and rocks, replicating earlier findings. However, the study found little to no change in participants' metaphysical beliefs, such as dualism, or in their self-reported Atheist-Believer status. These results contrast with cross-sectional studies suggesting psilocybin experiences alter Atheist-Believer status and non-naturalistic beliefs, but they support the relevance of mind perception and mentalization processes.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 1, 1987
John R. Neill
18 citations
Between 1953 and 1966, American psychiatry explored LSD not only for therapeutic uses but also for its potential to induce experiences resembling mystical or religious states. Psychiatrists debated whether the drug's effects held meaning beyond clinical symptom relief, with some arguing that LSD could facilitate profound personal insights or spiritual growth. This period saw a shift from viewing LSD strictly as a psychiatric tool to considering its broader philosophical and existential implications. The article traces how these discussions unfolded within professional circles, reflecting tensions between medical, spiritual, and cultural interpretations of psychedelic experiences before LSD was banned and research largely halted.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
July 16, 2021
Coryn E. Mayer, Virginia Lebaron, Kimberly Acquaviva
17 citations
Palliative care providers see multiple barriers—cultural, institutional, relational, and individual—to addressing existential distress in their patients. They describe the power and duality of being present with suffering, view suffering as inherently subjective, and express uncertainty about the risks and benefits of psilocybin therapy. These findings come from interviews with five interdisciplinary hospital-based palliative care team members. The authors call for more research to guide safe, inclusive integration of psilocybin into palliative care for existential distress.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
August 30, 2018
Miroslav Horák, Lea Hasíková, Nahanga Verter
16 citations
Ayahuasca users in the Czech Republic describe its therapeutic potential as broad, particularly for treating drug addiction, based on memory recall. The intensity of the drug's effects does not directly correspond to its therapeutic benefit. These findings come from semi-structured interviews with 46 participants (23 women, 23 men) who had attended at least one ayahuasca ritual or facilitated sessions, analyzed using grounded theory.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 1, 2013
Christina Cummins, Jennifer Lyke
16 citations
Nearly half of psilocybin users reported that their most wonderful life experience occurred while under the influence of the drug. Maslow defined peak experiences as moments of awe, well-being, or transcendence, and psilocybin is known to produce subjectively meaningful states. In a survey of 101 participants divided into three groups—those who had a peak experience on psilocybin, those who used psilocybin but had peak experiences elsewhere, and non-users—the three groups differed significantly on all measures of altered consciousness during their peak experience. The findings suggest psilocybin can facilitate or shape peak experiences, though more research is needed on naturalistic factors.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
December 22, 2018
Sueli Moreira Mello, Paula Christiane Soubhia, Gabriela de Oliveira Silveira et al.
15 citations
Ayahuasca, a beverage made from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors and N,N-dimethyltryptamine, which produces visionary effects. Despite concerns about liver injury from oral consumption, this study measured biochemical markers of liver damage in 22 volunteers who had consumed ayahuasca at least twice monthly for over a year. No significant changes were found in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, or gamma glutamyl transferase. Chronic ayahuasca use in a religious setting apparently does not impair hepatic function.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 4, 2022
Ismael Apud, Juan Scuro, Ignacio Carrera et al.
14 citations
Participants in ayahuasca rituals at a substance-use-disorder treatment center in Uruguay scored higher than a control group on Impulsive Sensation Seeking, Boredom Susceptibility, and Social Warmth scales of the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of their experiences revealed five categories: emotional experiences (including love and empathy), corporal experiences, spiritual/transcendental experiences, personal experiences, and visions. The findings suggest that the combination of social interactions and ayahuasca's pharmacological action may facilitate social emotions during rituals and contribute to long-term increases in empathic and social aspects of personality.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
A. Danforth
14 citations
Autistic adults who used MDMA (ecstasy) in nonclinical settings reported lasting improvements in trauma, social anxiety, and interpersonal relationships, with no long-term adverse outcomes. Qualitative interviews with 24 participants across 13 countries revealed themes of intra- and interpersonal change, suggesting MDMA-assisted therapy may be an effective catalyst for healing. The findings support the need for future clinical trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for autistic adults facing social adaptability challenges.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
October 1, 1985
David E. Smith, Richard B. Seymour
14 citations
Adverse reactions to LSD, including terrifying experiences akin to nightmares, are examined through clinical case histories and psychoanalytic interpretation. The paper argues that such reactions often stem from unresolved psychological conflicts and the user's set and setting, rather than being purely pharmacological. It describes how the drug can amplify latent anxieties, leading to panic, paranoia, and prolonged psychotic episodes in vulnerable individuals. The authors suggest that these adverse reactions reveal the deep psychological significance of the LSD experience, linking it to dream states and the unconscious mind.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 18, 2023
Emmy Manson, Erin Ryding, Wes Taylor et al.
13 citations
A pilot program offered group-based therapy with three ketamine sessions at a psychedelic dose to eight Indigenous participants and two Elders, in partnership between Roots to Thrive and the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Thematic analysis of interviews and feedback revealed that participants experienced significant benefits, including the importance of Indigenous team members, traditional healing approaches, and authentic relationships. Challenges were also noted. The work highlights the need to address colonial legacies and integrate Indigenous Ways of Knowing for culturally safe psychedelic therapies.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2002
Jos Ten Berge
13 citations
Intoxication, like dreams and madness, has historically been interpreted through two opposing cultural lenses: either as possession by an external agency or as liberation that reveals hidden truths (in vino veritas). Artists under LSD, mescaline, or psilocybin similarly describe feeling either possessed or liberated, influenced by their expectations and cultural dichotomies. However, analysis of a protocol suggests that intoxication can involve both possession and liberation almost simultaneously. Mediumistic and some psychedelic art display stylistic traits expressing both feelings. The demoniacal and psychedelic modes merge in experiential reality but are divided culturally.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 1, 2003
Ede Frecska, Keith D. White, Luis E. Luna
12 citations
Ingesting the South American hallucinogenic beverage ayahuasca reduced the rate of perceptual alternations in a binocular rivalry task, increased the duration of one percept, and produced evidence of phenomenal fusion. These findings align with brain activation studies showing right cortical activation under hallucinogens and support the concept of interhemispheric fusion in altered states of consciousness, rather than the earlier theory of changes in hemispheric integration.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 31, 2025
Samuel Thomson, Nikos Thomacos
11 citations
A systematic review of 19 studies with 949 participants examined whether psychedelics can enhance well-being in healthy individuals, applying the PERMA Theory of Well-Being. The substances studied included psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and 5-MeO-DMT. Results consistently indicate that psychedelic consumption is related to enduring enhancements in positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. No serious adverse effects were reported in six studies, though discussion of adverse effects was often absent. The review calls for a paradigm shift toward recognizing psychedelics' capacity to foster human flourishing beyond a disease-focused lens.