What changes in the recent past have there been in the public perception of psychedelics?

Question

In the last few years, has anyone observed any change in the way mainstream media and the common public talk about psychedelics?

Answer 1

I’m really excited to see where the next decade takes us in this field. I’m glad to say that here in Australia from this coming July psilocybin and MDMA will be able to be accessed legally from licences psychiatrists for mental health issues. Very proud moment for us. First nation in the world to be doing so. This sets a precedent for the rest of the world.

Comments

Yep! I bet you'll have to jump through hoops to have access and I can almost guarantee your  GP will have to get Government permission to treat anyone first as well, I have no idea though. Every Australian could do with a hero dose right now. Apparently 1 in 6 Australians have thought about suicide in the last year,( i have no idea how big the study was)

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nah I don’t really think there will be any kind of hurdles like that, I think the part that will make it difficult will be getting in to see a psychiatrist without a 6 month waiting list because of how busy they all already currently are!

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That is great! Gotta move to Australia!

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> First nation in the world to be doing so

Ya know, other than all of the other ones where mushrooms were already legal

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I'm talking about using psilocybin and MDMA legally in a therapeutic setting with psychologists etc. and not only in a trial setting. In those few places where mushrooms are legal to consume are they being used to help treatment-resistant depression? This is what I am referring to.

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Look at the costs though..25k+

Answer 2

Psychedelics have the potential to make a significant impact on mental health issues like anxiety and depression. They've been incredibly helpful for me personally.

Comments

I've been wanting to give it a go, but I'm struggling to find a reliable source.

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dr.scottshroom is your guy. The best shrooms and psychedelics guy I know.

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How do I reach out to him? He on instgram??

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I tried golden teachers for the first time, and it was an amazing experience.

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Psychedelic mushrooms really made a positive difference for me in dealing with addiction and depression. They've had a significant impact on my mental well-being, surpassing the effects of antidepressants.

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Is it possible for dr.scottshroom to deliver to me in Pennsylvania?

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Definitely, he can send it to any location, and he's very careful about keeping it discreet.

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Psychedelic mushrooms had a profound healing effect on my severe PTSD that I struggled with for years.

Answer 3

Psilocybin helped me kick alcoholism, healed my anxiety, and changed my life. The world needs these now!!!!

Comments

But they can Create schizopherinia ✌

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I studied extensively and have a fair amount of observational experience. I have never seen evidence of them creating it. However, they could exacerbate the condition.  I would never recommend someone try them who has been diagnosed with that condition.

Answer 4

Im an executive at a large behavioral healthcare company, and I can tell you the smart psychiatrists out there arent ignoring this information. We need clear trials with outcomes to provide the treatment with these drugs, but all that is in process. Very exciting to see this work coming to fruition

Answer 5

Isn't it fantastic that instead of fear, now insight and knowledge actually determine the way we as humanity now look at these psychedelics and discover their meaningful uses! Great interview, holy smokes! I bet McKenna, Hofmann and Shulgin are smiling, watching all of this unfold, from the heavens

Answer 6

Music in the distance, slowly coming in, followed by an instrumental period, then a transition out. If only there was an electronic version of that, that thousands of people across the globe felt magically connected with each other while listening to it.

Answer 7

I truly appreciate the changing conversation around psychedelics and I am grateful for anyone who keeps doing the important pioneer work to show people their true nature and potential. That said, a few things that were said in this talk don't sit quite right with me.

Thanking the people who pushed for legal research, etc. is very much warranted and important. But imo it's just as important to thank the people who've risked their freedom and in some cases even their lives to bring these substances to the people while a large portion of the population condemned them due to their own misconceptions. We also have to thank the people who truly pioneered the research throughout the past century, both legally and illegaly. Those who weren't afraid to stand by their experiences and beliefs in the face of massive negative propaganda.

The emphasis on only taking these compounds with licensed medical personell, while aiming at harm reduction and safe use, which is commendable, doesn't do reality justice. I've had massively therapeutic, transformative experience with psychedelics with some good friends out in nature and to me that is still one of the best possible settings one could wish for. Of course not everyone is lucky enough to have friends they can be 100% themselves and vulnerable around and I get that even today being very careful about how you communicate your stance around this topic is important, but I couldn't let that stand on its own.

Comments

I think the emphasis of using these as medicines in a professionally regulated environment comes from caution. Caution not to awaken the fear of the powers that be (corporations, government, inherent human conservativism "it's always been classified as dangerous for as long as I and my parents remember so it must be dangerous"). It needs to be a step by step process, starting with proven, publicly repeated over and over again therapeutic successes until it can start to become truly socially acceptable. This is to avoid another big crackdown Nixon style.

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Nicely put, I agree very much. One thought I had, reading your comment: could it be, that even in this phase that we're in, concerning psychedelics and for the sake of creating public support, it would be wise NOT to overstate the recreational use but rather the therapeutic use first?

I mean, coming from condemnation and labelling, maybe the contrast to openly advocating for recreational use might just be one step too far, imho.

Again, don't get me wrong, I 100% relate to your experience, I have had the great fortune of having the greatest experiences myself also with like-minded friends on both MDMA and psilocybin and unless contra-indicated for medical or psychiatric reasons, I would in fact recommend anyone to also have these experiences outside of a controlled, "therapeutic" setting, because imho, these compounds bear in themselves the therapeutic qualities already

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my thought exactly

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"licensed medical personnel" were the ones carrying out mk ultra, abusing large numbers of psychiatric patients and using these substances in the development of the USA's torture program during the 60s. I fail to see how being part of the medical establishment is at all related to being trustworthy or a good therapist

Answer 8

Microdoing has been helping me a lot with depression and anxiety, haven't tired the heroic dose. I have been microdoing for a few months, 1 day on, 1 day off, when I stop the depression comes back about 2 weeks later until I start again.

Answer 9

Psychedelics we're one of the major things that helped get off opiates...It made me fully aware of what I was doing and helped me change

Comments

Congrats ❤ happy for you! Keep it up

Answer 10

Ayahuasca and psilocybin saved my life. These conversations are so important to reach those who really need it

Answer 11

Psycedelics have helped me alot, I was already a pretty open minded person,but before doing psycedelics I didn’t believe in a higher power but they helped me breakthrough a lot and confirm a lot of things that I believed to be true,

Comments

So it made you believe in GOD?

Answer 12

Wow, this is amazing. I’m a 58 year old lady who has suffered with severe depression and chronic suicidal ideation for half a century and have just recently been using cannabis to help unravel some of my issues and this gives me even more hope of a better life. ❤

Comments

What is it that wants or hopes for a better life? It may be that what wants or hopes or fears is the thing that dies during deep psychedelic inquiry. Then the grasping or striving or searching ends and nourishment comes without effort...without one even knowing. ❤

Answer 13

The use of magic mushrooms completely helps one get over depression and makes you feel like yourself . 0:08

Comments

0:03 I've been thinking to use shrooms for my anxiety and depression . Anyone know where I can source them ?

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​@@JohnChristopher-jq1efYes dr.johnsonshroom 0:02

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​@@JohnChristopher-jq1efShrooms are very helpful 0:04

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​@@kty149pls is he on Instagram? 0:01

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​@@DanielJohn-xx6epPE has been my best trip ever

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​@@AndrewRobertson-iq4hf
Yes he's dr.johnsonshroom 0:03

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​@@Iconic_moment
Can he send to the UK?

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​@@JuanMadelineHe delivers anywhere and also discreet

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But who you are is depressed

Answer 14

Thanks to both of you for making this more known. The used dosage (equals about 3g dried  psilocybe cubensis) is not yet heroic dose, but high enough to push trough most of defense mechanisms.

Psilocybin has helped me a LOT, especially those higher dose introsprect trips, and also low dose nature trips.
(Also had a so called "horrortrip" because I wasn't able to let go... so it's not allway fun)

Hopefully Psilocybin assisted therapy will be No.1 treatment for depression. Can safe many lifes.

Answer 15

We have known that psilocybin used with the proper dosage and intention is a gift in a big way since Ram Dass and Timothy Leary. You have been limited by your institution in exploring it, at least mentioning publicly. The handcuff of institutions. Your influence keeps growing ️ Ben would be proud.. This is a big one.️

Comments

I'm just now hearing of this stuff. Ben who?

Answer 16

Andrew and Tim are such a gift to humanity.  What an exciting time.

Answer 17

psychedelics saved my life. i wish my grandpa who died of depression had access. thanks tim for being one of the first people to get me thinking about them. and thanks andrew for all your work and influential conversations. you both have helped me so much!

Answer 18

Just had psilocybin treatment in Ashland, Oregon. It ended three years of PTSD, grief, depression and anxiety in one session. I lost three years of my life with trying sooooo many other things that didn’t work. This fucking worked! It should not be illegal. Legalize it immediately and get people some help and some peace!

Comments

What kind of dose was required for such a treatment? I see all kinds of suggestions, but I do wonder what clinical treatment uses, dose-wise.

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Hey buddy! I'd point you to this legit source I got shrooms,  dmt, ayahuasca and other psychs

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​@@adammiller2518Hey buddy! I'd point you to this legit source I got shrooms,  dmt, ayahuasca and other psychs

Answer 19

It’s about time that people are allowed to try things to help their lives, when other things don’t help.

Comments

we always have.

Answer 20

I'm just glad everyone is starting to wake up.  It's very hard to control people if they are robbed of tools of enlightenment.   
       
Just want to say thank you Andrew.  I've been listening to you more these days.   It's fun for me being a psychologist to listen to a neuroscientist.