Psychedelics Don't Cause Mental Health Problems—And They Might Keep You Sane

[99th_Monkey]

Psychedelics Don't Cause Mental Health Problems—And They Might Keep You Sane
New study concludes psychedelics do not increase the risk for mental health problems—and links their long-term use to decreased psychological problems.
Alternet * by April M. Short * August 21, 2013

A recent scientific study concluded that the use of psychedelic substances like LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and mescaline (peyote and other cacti)—all classified as dangerous drugs with no medicinal value, or Schedule I substances by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—does not increase the risk for mental health problems—and the long-term use of some of those drugs was linked to decreased psychological problems.

PLoS One, in a study titled Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study on Tuesday. The authors analyzed data of more than 130,000 people and found 'no link' between the use of psychedelics and mental health issues.

Previous studies have proven that psychedelic substances do not cause brain damage are non-addictive, and can in some cases effectively treat addiction.

Raw Story reported that clinical psychologist Pal-Orjan Johansen of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology said psychedelic use is overall “considered to pose a very low risk.”

“Psychedelics can elicit temporary feelings of anxiety and confusion, but accidents leading to serious injury are extremely rare,” he said.

MORE: http://www.alternet.org/drugs/psychedelics-dont-cause-mental-health-problems-and-they-might-keep-you-sane

[BlueJazz]

1. “Psychedelics can elicit temporary feelings of anxiety and confusion"

I used to run down the beach at night with my arms out and pretend I was a jet plane.
May have been some confusion there but I was having a hell of a good time...

[pipoman]

2. "Psychedelics Don't Cause Mental Health Problems"

I may agree with the addition of "Properly made and administered Psychedelics Don't Cause Mental Health Problems". I have seen 1st hand that bad acid destroyed 2 of my friends lives. They spent the night at one of their houses and tripped...they have not been the same since and that was 30 years ago. Both were reasonably good students from middle and upper income families. Both have suffered mental health issues with paranoid and schizophrenic episodes since that night. Neither has ever had a job beyond the most menial of tasks. Both still live with their parents.

I don't know what or how much they took. I had tripped with them before, and in fact smoked pot for the first time together with one of these guys. I never took acid after that...mushrooms a couple of times...haven't done any hallucinogenics in over 20 years and won't at my age...no heart problems and don't wish to press my luck..

[99th_Monkey]

3. Thanks for the anecdotal info

But since you don't know how much they took, or even what they took, I'm
not sure it really is apples and oranges in terms of it's relevance to the OP.

As you say "Properly made and administered.." is an important qualifier.

[pipoman]

12. The relevance is that it was micro dot

and most acid is cooked up by people who's home I wouldn't eat in..We wouldn't want anyone to get the idea that the acid they got from the dude at the club is absolutely harmless..

[Nevernose]

14. There's only about twelve people left

Who make LSD, and they make the whole world's supply, mostly in legitimate chemical companies (at night) in the Bay Area and the Pacific Northwest. Just thought it was an interesting factoid.

[pnwmom]

4. But could they be a trigger in someone who is genetically predisposed

to schizophrenia, for example?

That wouldn't be the same as "causing" the disease.

[99th_Monkey]

5. I have a grown son who's bipolar

and I don't encourage his use of psychedelics, nope.

On other hand, many things can conceivably "trigger" someone's schizophrenia,
but I don't think all those things can or should be criminalized.

[pnwmom]

6. I wasn't addressing criminalization, so we're probably on the same page about this.

I remember reading a memoir by Kurt Vonnegut's son that linked his drug use to his eventual psychosis. Again, there are genetic factors involved in schizophrenia, but not everyone with the genes gets the disease; he could be right that the drugs he took might have been his trigger.

[Cerridwen]

7. Like aspirin and Reyes Syndrome, you mean?

Yeah. It's starting to appear we need genetic testing before taking any sort of medication.

It would appear pharmaceutical companies need to start accounting for the exceptions rather than testing at the norm and doctors need to have some understanding of their patients' physiology and genetic makeup before prescribing.

[pnwmom]

8. Yes. And there are some people who are particularly susceptible

to chemotherapy accumulating in their systems -- another example where genetic testing should be done.

[Cerridwen]

9. It is being done.

A very close friend had to undergo chemo and her docs did the genetic testing to determine which type of chemo treatment. She lost the coin toss and didn't have the right genetic markers. I miss her greatly. But, my point is, they are now finding genetic matches for some chemo treatments.

[pnwmom]

10. I'm glad to hear this.

They didn't do the testing with my father until the chemo made him much sicker than it was supposed to. It turned out that he should have gotten much smaller doses, because his body wasn't processing it well.

His kids now have all had a heads up, in case we turn out to have the same genes.

[Cerridwen]

11. My dad died in '89. They've since found a cure.

We "joked" in our family that the cure killed him; little bits of his internal organs cut out; massive doses of toxins pumped into his system. It's a dark humor I would wish on no one.

Massive doses of toxins; if a little works then a lot must be better. No subtlety; just sledge hammers.

We're progressing and evolving. The 21st century looks exciting. I hope I live long enough to see the exciting changes.

[Logical]

13. Too bad you cannot buy real LSD anymore! The safest...

Of the illegal drugs!

[dionysus]

16. +1

(mescaline is better tho)

[99th_Monkey]

17. I know.

My first acid was clear blue liquid from Switzerland, in cool little clear glass vials.

Of course this was in 1962, Venice Beach CA.

[Throd]

15. They can make an old rolled up piece of carpet look like an angry bear ready to pounce.

And keep someone (perhaps me) frozen in terror for 8 hours (probably 44 seconds).

[99th_Monkey]

18. bad trips happen, for sure.

no contest there.

People concerned about that should probably steer clear
of strong psychedelics imho.

[Blue_In_AK]

19. They didn't hurt me any,

and I took probably 300+ trips back in the day. LOVED the stuff.