Mind navigators of chemicals' experimenters? A web-based description of e-psychonauts.
Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking May 1, 2015 Laura Orsolini, Gabriele Duccio Papanti, Giulia Francesconi et al. 90 citations
Within online drug forums, some highly knowledgeable users—termed 'e-psychonauts'—provide reliable information on psychoactive substances. A netnographic study observed cyber drug communities in early 2014, analyzing posts with phenomenological methods. E-psychonauts typically described themselves as 'psychedelic researchers,' 'new Shamans,' 'philosophers,' or 'alchemists.' They were mainly young, male, unmarried, Caucasian, and in good or excellent employment. They possessed strong IT skills, verbal fluency, and deep chemical/pharmacological knowledge, often testing or synthesizing drugs to explore altered consciousness. The findings suggest a need to improve professional awareness of this group and develop targeted prevention approaches.