Researchers are investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and magic mushrooms.
Researchers are investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, such as LSD and magic mushrooms.
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Psilocybin -- the active ingredient in magic mushrooms -- could be used during controlled therapy to treat depression. The psychoactive is thought to enable people to confront and make sense of the world.
Psilocybin -- the active ingredient in magic mushrooms -- could be used during controlled therapy to treat depression. The psychoactive is thought to enable people to confront and make sense of the world.
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The methods the brain uses to organize information and interpret the world are disrupted under the influence of psilocybin, which results in hallucinations. High-level thinking becomes disjointed while brain regions to do with emotional thinking become more active.
The methods the brain uses to organize information and interpret the world are disrupted under the influence of psilocybin, which results in hallucinations. High-level thinking becomes disjointed while brain regions to do with emotional thinking become more active.
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Scientists are trialling both meditation and psychedelic drugs as potential treatments due to their perspective-altering effect on the mind.
Scientists are trialling both meditation and psychedelic drugs as potential treatments due to their perspective-altering effect on the mind.
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Meditation can be extremely challenging for a novice, so the idea behind one study is to reveal whether psychedelics offers a similar change in perspective and, if so, use them as an alternative therapy or even use them as a gateway into meditation.
Meditation can be extremely challenging for a novice, so the idea behind one study is to reveal whether psychedelics offers a similar change in perspective and, if so, use them as an alternative therapy or even use them as a gateway into meditation.
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Using brain scanning and other techniques, researchers at <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imperial.ac.uk%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Imperial College London</a> were recently able to show what happens when someone takes LSD.
Using brain scanning and other techniques, researchers at Imperial College London were recently able to show what happens when someone takes LSD.
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Participants' brains lit up with activity after taking the drug. Researchers hope the findings may help towards developing treatments for depression or addiction.
Participants' brains lit up with activity after taking the drug. Researchers hope the findings may help towards developing treatments for depression or addiction.
Imperial College London
Researchers at Imperial College London also previously scanned the brain to see the effects of MDMA. Their findings hint that the drug might be useful in the treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers at Imperial College London also previously scanned the brain to see the effects of MDMA. Their findings hint that the drug might be useful in the treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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MDMA was first synthesized in Germany in 1912, before it became a party drug in the 1980s. It's being studied by MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to see whether MDMA-assisted psychotherapy could help people with psychological or emotional damage.
MDMA was first synthesized in Germany in 1912, before it became a party drug in the 1980s. It's being studied by MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) to see whether MDMA-assisted psychotherapy could help people with psychological or emotional damage.
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When people suffer from depression, their "default mode network" becomes over-connected, causing them to be locked into a state of rumination where they cannot stop thinking negative thoughts. Psilocybin could be used to liberate them from these depressive symptoms.
When people suffer from depression, their "default mode network" becomes over-connected, causing them to be locked into a state of rumination where they cannot stop thinking negative thoughts. Psilocybin could be used to liberate them from these depressive symptoms.
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Addictive behaviors, such as smoking, could also be targeted using cognitive behavioral therapy combined with psilocybin. Initial small-scale studies have seen 80% success rates.
Addictive behaviors, such as smoking, could also be targeted using cognitive behavioral therapy combined with psilocybin. Initial small-scale studies have seen 80% success rates.
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Alcoholism is also being targeted by researchers at the University of New Mexico, and early studies have seen an improved level of treatment in people who received psilocybin alongside counseling compared with those who received only counseling.
Alcoholism is also being targeted by researchers at the University of New Mexico, and early studies have seen an improved level of treatment in people who received psilocybin alongside counseling compared with those who received only counseling.
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