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reasons_for_using_psychedelics [2023/11/28 19:21] – kindredseerreasons_for_using_psychedelics [2023/12/11 02:38] (current) – kindredseer
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 ==== Reasons for using Psychedelics ==== ==== Reasons for using Psychedelics ====
  
-People primarily use [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive substances]] for one of four different primary purposes -- recreational, medicinal, utilitarian, and some substances, including [[psychedelic|psychedelics]] and especially [[entheogens]] are used for spiritual purposes.+People primarily use [[psychoactive drug|psychoactive substances]] for one of four different primary purposes -- //recreational, medicinal, utilitarian//, and some substances, including [[psychedelic|psychedelics]] are also used for //spiritual// purposes as //[[entheogens]]// . 
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 +The popularity of [[microdosing]] is on the rise, with many discovering it as a gentler introduction to the potential benefits of psychedelics, free from concerns about pronounced psychoactive effects. In a similar vein, it resonates with those who, uncomfortable with [[THC]], opt for the milder experience of [[CBD]] which does not produce the typical "high" of THC.
  
 === Recreational === === Recreational ===
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 Despite the stigma of recreational use of psychedelics being associated with cannabis "stoner culture" and "potheads", and such users being labeled as "acidheads", "shroomheads", or perhaps simply "druggies", actual recreational use is about recreation in its true sense, and can be just as positive as other forms of leisure and play, as long as done responsibly. It is not shameful to have fun. Despite the stigma of recreational use of psychedelics being associated with cannabis "stoner culture" and "potheads", and such users being labeled as "acidheads", "shroomheads", or perhaps simply "druggies", actual recreational use is about recreation in its true sense, and can be just as positive as other forms of leisure and play, as long as done responsibly. It is not shameful to have fun.
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 +Burning Man Festival, in Black Rock City, Nevada, USA, has been happening since 1986, sometimes with over 70,000 participants, and is viewed as a sort of Mecca of psychedelic expression.
  
 === Medicinal === === Medicinal ===
  
-[[Psychedelic Assisted Therapy]] has received a lot of attention and recognition recently, but its origins date back to the late 1940s. For close to twenty years, psychedelics such as [[LSD]], [[mescaline]], and [[psilocybin]] containing mushrooms were considered to be invaluable tools for advancing the understanding of the mind, as well as treating mental illnesses before almost all research was halted at the end of the 1960s. Alan Watts was quoted as saying, //"LSD is simply an exploratory instrument like a microscope or telescope, except this one is inside of you instead of outside of you."//+[[psychedelic therapy|Psychedelic Assisted Therapy]] has received a lot of attention and recognition recently, but its origins date back to the late 1940s. For close to twenty years, psychedelics such as [[LSD]], [[mescaline]], and [[psilocybin]] containing mushrooms were considered to be invaluable tools for advancing the understanding of the mind, as well as treating mental illnesses before almost all research was halted at the end of the 1960s. Alan Watts was quoted as saying, //"LSD is simply an exploratory instrument like a microscope or telescope, except this one is inside of you instead of outside of you."//
  
 Most current psychedelic research is focused on reproducing the results of the research from the 1950s and 1960s, with updated (double blind) scientific methods, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to better see and understand what brain regions are affected. Most current psychedelic research is focused on reproducing the results of the research from the 1950s and 1960s, with updated (double blind) scientific methods, and using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to better see and understand what brain regions are affected.
  
 That said, little has significantly changed over the past 60 years aside from the accumulation of irrefutable hard scientific evidence that psychedelics in fact do have enormous potential for medical use. That said, little has significantly changed over the past 60 years aside from the accumulation of irrefutable hard scientific evidence that psychedelics in fact do have enormous potential for medical use.
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 === Utilitarian === === Utilitarian ===
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 While we do not endorse the practice of multi-million dollar technology corporations encouraging already overworked developers to use performance enhancing drugs to think more creatively, personal use of psychedelics for improving cognition and general well-being is perfectly fine. While we do not endorse the practice of multi-million dollar technology corporations encouraging already overworked developers to use performance enhancing drugs to think more creatively, personal use of psychedelics for improving cognition and general well-being is perfectly fine.
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 === Spiritual === === Spiritual ===
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 Last, but not least, psychedelics (and [[entheogens]]) have been scientifically shown to be reliable catalysts for fostering mystical experiences. Not only this, but recent research has shown that the measurable improvement from psychedelic assisted therapy is directly proportional to the patient having a mystical experience.  Last, but not least, psychedelics (and [[entheogens]]) have been scientifically shown to be reliable catalysts for fostering mystical experiences. Not only this, but recent research has shown that the measurable improvement from psychedelic assisted therapy is directly proportional to the patient having a mystical experience. 
  
-Naturally occurring psychedelic molecules, such as [[mescaline]] and [[psilocybin]] have a very long history of ceremonial use, possibly dating back many thousands of years, and typically tend to have the potential to induce a mystical state where the user becomes //"one"// with //God//, the Universe, or the //Absolute//. Other experiences can involve feelings that //everything is connected//, or that //everything is alive// ([[animism]]).+Plants containing molecules, such as [[mescaline]] and [[psilocybin]] have a very long history of ceremonial use, possibly dating back many thousands of years, and typically tend to have the potential to induce a mystical state where the user becomes //"one"// with //God//, the Universe, or the //Absolute//. Other experiences can involve feelings that //everything is connected//, or that //everything is alive// ([[animism]]). 
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 +The mystical potential of psychedelics has long been studied, most notably as part of the //Good Friday// (or //Marsh Chapel//) //Experiment// on April 20th at Boston University in 1962, which was essentially repeated at Johns Hopkins University by Roland R. Griffiths in 2002. There are a few different scientific scales on which to measure the results of such experiments, such as the //Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS)//, the //Spiritual Transcendence Index (STI)//, the //Hood Mysticism Scale//, the //Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ)//, and the "revised" //Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30)//. 
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 +While it may seem strange (or potentially sacrilegious) to apply the scientific method to what are considered to be sacred and personal experiences, it should be noted that many scientists who work within the psychedelic space are far more open to the idea that there is a scientific basis for spiritual beliefs to play a significant role in health, wellbeing, healing, and recovery from illness.