What new psychedelic drugs are being invented, or are in planning stages? What would be the characteristics of the "perfect" psychedelic drug (regarding duration, intensity, etc). How might new, as-yet unheard of substances change the potential for psychedelic therapy?
Hi Tim, Michael, and Matthew. Thank you for doing this.
My question: Has there been any research that looks at how a person's pre-existing belief structures might affect a psychedelic experience? I've heard some anecdotal evidence that an extremely rigid set of beliefs (religious fundamentalism, in particular) can be a substrate for a very bad trip, because of a refusal to accept a frightening encounter during the experience as anything but the presence of real evil. Of course a "bad trip" can be extremely useful regardless, and these experiences ("good" or "bad") often correlate with an increase in openness afterwards, which seems to me an anecdote to rigid thought patterns and beliefs (I often find that the people in my life who might most benefit from a psychedelic experience are the ones who would either never undergo one or would have the worst time on one...).
I'd be really interested to learn whether or not this has been studied scientifically, or if there might be plans related to the question(s).
What new psychedelic drugs are being invented, or are in planning stages? What would be the characteristics of the "perfect" psychedelic drug (regarding duration, intensity, etc). How might new, as-yet unheard of substances change the potential for psychedelic therapy?
Hi Tim, Michael, and Matthew. Thank you for doing this.
My question: Has there been any research that looks at how a person's pre-existing belief structures might affect a psychedelic experience? I've heard some anecdotal evidence that an extremely rigid set of beliefs (religious fundamentalism, in particular) can be a substrate for a very bad trip, because of a refusal to accept a frightening encounter during the experience as anything but the presence of real evil. Of course a "bad trip" can be extremely useful regardless, and these experiences ("good" or "bad") often correlate with an increase in openness afterwards, which seems to me an anecdote to rigid thought patterns and beliefs (I often find that the people in my life who might most benefit from a psychedelic experience are the ones who would either never undergo one or would have the worst time on one...).
I'd be really interested to learn whether or not this has been studied scientifically, or if there might be plans related to the question(s).