Posted by brynb on April 9, 2013, at 0:46:03
In reply to Psychedelics, posted by Englishman006! on April 8, 2013, at 23:58:47
> Has anyone experienced relief using psychedelics? It may sound strange but psychedelics do apparently have healing properties and can be very useful as an adjunct to therapy. They can provide an individual with new insight into his or her psychological issues.
> They have to be used with caution in a controlled setting but if used correctly can make therapy much more effective.
> They were of course made illegal as a result of the war against drugs but unlike heroin and meth (which are the devil drugs) they rarely cause physical dependence.
> Has anyone had experience or does anyone know of someone who has had experience with this class of drugs?Hi Englishman,
Having recently undergone Ketamine treatment, and having experimented many moons ago with LSD and Psilocybin, yes. That said, they've been testing with these drugs in controlled settings (LSD was originally dubbed "Psychodelic" I believe, but they changed it to "Psychedelic" due to the negative "psycho" connotation) since the 50s and 60s. Ken Kesey based his experience with a psych ward for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Tom Wolfe documents Kesey and psychedelics and the 60s counterculture in "The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test" and also touches upon mental facilities using these drugs experimentally in depressed patients.
Ironically, I recently had a revelation that Ketamine must work similarly to acid and the like (not sure if other psychedelics target glutamate, too, but at least in terms of self-revelation and reflection), which came, well, naturally, during a Ketamine treatment. At the start, I found K very trippy, but I've learned how to control my thoughts while on it--and to some degree my reaction to it--which has not changed its positive/euphoric effect on my mood *during* treatment.
That said, it also has led to mood instability and a latent or once controlled desire to use mind-altering substances (not psychedelics, just substances in general). So, I've found its euphoric benefits to be fleeting. It's good for temporarily boosting my mood, but not as a longterm solution.
Just my experience...
-b
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
poster:brynb
thread:1041929
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130408/msgs/1041931.html