In best cases, he added, the drug can help “transform your understanding of yourself, the world, and your relationship to it, and give you new beliefs moving forward.”
Psychedelics 101: Books, Documentaries, Podcasts, Science, and More
By popular request, I recorded the short video above to cover what I consider “psychedelics 101.” There is a sea of misinformation out there, and the video covers resources I consider well vetted. All links are listed below. Please be sure to see the important disclaimer at the bottom of this post.
Some Thoughts on For-Profit Psychedelic Startups and Companies
This week has been a fascinating firestorm for me. Part of the excitement came after a series of tweets I published about some of the concerns I have as psychedelic medicine makes the leap from research to for-profit startups and companies. Here is what I wrote:
An Urgent Plea to Users of Psychedelics: Let’s Consider a More Ethical Menu of Plants and Compounds
This is a blog post I wish I didn’t need to write.
I have personally invested years and millions of dollars into non-profit psychedelic research around the world (one example in the UK, one in the US, and one in NZ) because A) I believe it has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of mental health and addiction, and the data are increasingly proving this to be true. B) I’m a case study. Psychedelics have saved my life several times over, including helping me to heal from childhood abuse.
"Trip of Compassion" — The Most Compelling Movie I've Seen In The Last Year
“I felt like I went through 15 years of psychological therapy in one night.” – Actual patient featured in “Trip of Compassion” This post is about the most compelling movie I’ve seen in the last year. I first watched “Trip of Compassion” about six months ago, when I was sent a link to a private …
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Stan Grof, Lessons from ~4,500 LSD Sessions and Beyond (#347)
“I realized people were not having LSD experiences; they were having experiences of themselves. But they were coming from depths that psychoanalysis didn’t know anything about.” — Stanislav Grof Stanislav Grof, M.D., (stanislavgrof.com) is a psychiatrist with more than 60 years of experience in research of “holotropic” states of consciousness, a large and important subgroup …
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Sam Harris, Ph.D. — How to Master Your Mind (#342)
“The goal of meditation is to uncover a form of wellbeing that is inherent to the nature of our minds.” — Sam Harris Sam Harris (@SamHarrisOrg) received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a Ph.D in neuroscience from UCLA. Sam is the host of the Waking Up podcast, and he is the author …
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Paul Stamets — How Mushrooms Can Save You and (Perhaps) the World (#340)
“The war against nature is a war against your own biology.” — Paul Stamets Paul Stamets (@PaulStamets) is an intellectual and industry leader in the habitat, medicinal use, and production of fungi. Part of his mission is to deepen our understanding and respect for the organisms that literally exist under every footstep taken on this …
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Hamilton Morris on Better Living Through Chemistry: Psychedelics, Smart Drugs, and More (#337)
“It’s good to take things seriously. You don’t want to be afraid, but it’s a serious experience. I would say it’s no less serious than being reborn.” — Hamilton Morris Hamilton Morris (TW: @hamiltonmorris, IG: @hamiltonmorris) is a writer, documentarian, and scientific researcher who currently studies the chemistry and pharmacology of tryptamines at the University …
Michael Pollan — Exploring The New Science of Psychedelics (#313)
“Psychedelics, used responsibly and with proper caution, would be for psychiatry what the microscope is for biology and medicine or the telescope is for astronomy.” – Stanislav Grof This might be the most important podcast episode I’ve put out in the last two years. Please trust me and give it a full listen. It will surprise …
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