What do psychedelics have to do with psychology?
The world of psychology has enjoyed an explosion of innovation as of late. The industry has been filled to the brim with creative minds and experimental researchers over the last few years, and some truly groundbreaking research has taken place.
One area of research that psychology has been particularly involved in lately is the area of psychedelic drug use. As society’s opinions and acceptance of substance use changes throughout time, medical and psychology experts tend to follow suit- and this particular topic has been no exception.
In this blog, we’ll examine the use of psychedelics in the world of psychology, the impact on mental health and the arguments for and against using them in a professional context.
What are psychedelics?
First things first, what exactly does the term ‘psychedelic’ refer to? The most commonly known examples of psychedelic drugs are LSD, mescaline, Ayahuasca, psilocybin and DMT. These substances are taken by a user in order to achieve a psychedelic experience, which can involve auditory/visual changes, perception alterations and altered states of being.
The psychedelic culture
There’s always been a heavy culture surrounding psychedelics, and the most notable one would be the hippie culture in the 1960s and 1970s. LSD (or ‘acid’) was heavily associated with young adults who lived an alternative lifestyle and relished the mind-bending properties that psychedelic substances could bring.
Another notable culture that’s involved with psychedelics is the culture surrounding the drug Ayahuasca. Originally, this psychoactive brew was used by Amazonian tribes for spiritual enlightenment in traditional ceremonies, and it is now used by people all over the globe for precisely the same purpose.
Nowadays, psychedelics are used by many people from all walks of life. They are used by some for spiritual enlightenment, some to treat mental illness and some for a simply eye opening and mind altering experience.
The history of psychedelics in psychology
As much as some people may like to pass psychedelics off as something that only rebellious young people with dyed green hair are interested in, there is a rich history of the substances being used for positive reasons in the psychiatric industry.
The most noteworthy person to bring up in this discussion is Humphrey Osmond, who was responsible for some of the first recorded psychedelic experiments in psychiatric history. In 1951, he took up the post of deputy director of psychiatry at the Weyburn Mental Hospital in Saskatchewan in Canada, and started on his experiments within the next year.
Osmond is certainly a big name in this discussion, alongside his colleague John Smythies. He made waves with his 1953 alcoholism study as it had incredible results. Out of his two alcoholic participants who received a microdose of LSD. One patient stopped drinking immediately, and the other stopped drinking 6 months after.
Someone else that’s worth noting here is Ronald Sandison, who started his experiments with psychedelic drugs around the same time as Osmond, but in the UK. His experiments with LSD reported the same style of results as Osmond, and Sandison eventually opened an LSD-therapy specific facility.
Over the years, many other researchers have done intriguing experiments with psychedelics in psychology- such as Gasser et al in 2014, who experimented with LSD and anxiety, and Moreno et al in 2006, who looked at OCD and psilocybin.
The level of research done each year always depends on how willing the current society is to work with substances, as some researchers have faced a lot more stigma and hatred due to the illegal classification of psychedelic substances in multiple countries. As society’s opinion on substance use changes, you can be sure that science’s opinion will change too.
Positive aspects of psychedelic experimentation
So, why do researchers insist on working with psychedelics in psychology? One of the main reasons is simply that psychedelics appear to work well on helping people overcome mental illnesses and addictions, as the previously stated examples showcase. The Osmond 1953 study alone strongly suggests that the participants giving up alcohol was linked directly to the microdose of LSD that they took.
Additionally, if these substances are used in a very controlled and organised environment, they can be easy to monitor and track in an experiment. This can lead to less external variables interfering with the results of a study, which further suggests positive results.
Negative aspects of psychedelic experimentation
Of course, there are negative aspects to drug trials and experiments in psychology- notably, ethical issues. Many people disagree with substances being used in psychiatric studies, arguing that it could have negative ramifications for the participants in the near future (both mentally and physically).
Additionally, some might argue that it glamorizes and promotes drug use in popular media. A lot of modern studies in this area are promoted quite heavily in the media, and some may suggest that this is a negative thing to promote.
Furthermore, the effects of the drug on a person can only be assumed under a correlation not causation. It is difficult, especially with earlier studies, to exactly link the external results of an experiment to the internal effects of a drug. Developments in brain scanning technology have made this easier over the years, though.
To sum up
Overall, the debate over the use of psychedelic substances in the modern world of psychology is certainly a fascinating one. The opinion on this matter will vary from culture to culture, from person to person and from era to era as general opinions and taboos change, and as science progresses further. It’s fascinating to observe, and this area of psychology is definitely one to watch as the years go on.
If you want to read more about psychology and the innovation in this industry, make sure to browse through the rest of the site. We’re constantly updating it with new, intriguing content to help keep you at the forefront of the world of mental health. If you’d like to find out more about what we could help you with, feel free to get in touch with a member of our team at michael.kinsey.phd@gmail.com today.
Recommended Reading
How to change your mind, by Michael Pollan
