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Explore our topics to find out more about psychedelics
Explore the most frequently asked questions about psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies
1. Are psychedelics dangerous substances?
According to an analysis conducted by Professor David Nutt and his team from the Imperial College London (UK), psychedelics actually rank among the safest psychoactive substances, in contrast to alcohol, which was identified as the most harmful substance by their analysis.
2. Are psychedelics addictive?
Although a common misconception associates psychedelics with substances of abuse, all research findings agree that psychedelics are not addictive. Actually, multiple clinical trials have been exploring the potential of psychedelic drugs combined with psychological support or psychotherapy to treat substance abuse, including tobacco and alcohol-use disorders. However, ketamine, an anaesthetic and also a non-classic psychedelic, has a highly addictive potential which can develop with frequent recreational use.
3. What’s the difference between classic therapy without psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT)?
Terapia tradizionalaren eta terapia psikodeliko bidez lagunduaren (PAT) arteko desberdintasun nagusia psikodelikoak prozesu terapeutikoa errazteko tresna gisa erabiltzean datza. Horrek hiru urrats ditu:
4. Terapia psikodelikoa Aro Berriko moda bat besterik ez al da?
Mendeetan zehar, psikodelikoak sakonki errotuta egon dira bertako kulturen sendatze-praktiketan eta zeremonia espiritualetan. Hala ere, haien erabilera eta ikerketa neurri handi batean murriztu ziren 1960ko hamarkadaren amaieran debekatu ondoren, gaixotasun psikiatrikoak tratatzeko asko erabiltzen zirenean. Gaur egun, ikerketa garaikideak haien potentzial terapeutikoarekiko interesa berpizten ari da, depresioa, estres postrautikoa, mendekotasuna eta antsietatea bezalako gaixotasunak tratatzeko duten eraginkortasunaren ebidentzia gero eta handiagoa emanez.
Nahiz eta uste oker zabaldu batek droga psikodelikoak gehiegizko kontsumo substantziekin lotzen dituen, ikerketen emaitzek adierazten dute, oro har, ez direla adiktiboak ingurune klinikoetan. Izan ere, hainbat entsegu klinikok aztertu dute droga psikodelikoek laguntza psikologikoarekin edo psikoterapiarekin konbinatutako potentziala substantzien gehiegizko kontsumoa tratatzeko, tabakoaren eta alkoholaren kontsumoaren nahasteak barne. Hala ere, ketaminak, anestesikoa eta psikodeliko ez-klasikoa ere badenak, adikzio potentzial handia du, eta maiztasun aisialdiko erabilerarekin garatu daiteke.
5. Ohikoak al dira gaindosiak psikodelikoekin?
Classic psychedelics (e.g. Psilocybin, LSD) overdoses are uncommon and typically occur only when used in combination with other substances or at extremely high doses. While these substances generally have a wide safety margin, responsible use and proper supervision are crucial to reduce potential risks. Psilocybin, for instance, has a high therapeutic index, with a therapeutic dose at 15 to 30mg and a lethal dose at 6g, which is 500 times greater than the therapeutic dose.
6. Nola eragiten diote substantzia psikodelikoek giza garunean bidaia batean zehar?
Hainbat substantzia psikodelikok kontzientzia-egoera aldatuak eragiten dituzte, baina guztiek partekatzen dituzten efektu nagusiak aipatu ditzakegu. Giza garunak psikodelikoen eraginpean, lehen konektatu gabe edo ia konektatu gabe zeuden garuneko zentroen arteko konektibitate-maila askoz handiagoa erakusten du; horrek pertzepzio bisuala, sinestesia, sormena eta prozesamendu emozionala hobetzen ditu. Gainera, psikodelikoek eragin sakona dute giza garunak Nia edo Egoa eta bere emozioak nola bizi dituen, batzuetan “unibertsoarekin bat” izatearen sentsazioa eraginez.
7. What are the most important lasting beneficial effects of psychedelics on human brain and well-being?
Psychedelics were shown to have a beneficial effect on the human brain by enhancing its neuroplasticity and rewiring certain neural pathways, specifically involved in emotional processing of trauma, depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms. With the correct clinical framework, psychedelics were shown to enhance stress resilience, emotional stability and outlook on life, as well as alleviate the symptoms of the above mentioned mental conditions.
8. What are the similarities and differences between psychedelic trips and practices such as meditation and altered states of consciousness?
Psychedelics are sometimes called “a shortcut” to the states of consciousness associated with spiritual awakening and long term practices of various forms of meditation. The similarities include enhanced cognitive functioning, emotional resilience, psychological well-being and creativity. The main difference is that psychedelics, with the right set and settings, are capable of triggering certain processes in the brain without a long and dedicated mental practice, offering the chance of having cognitive and spiritual breakthroughs that might take years with traditional meditation practices.
9. Are the long-term effects of psychedelics beneficial or harmful?
Recent research on the long-term effects of psychedelic substances indicates that their supervised use, together with the support framework mentioned earlier, could have lasting beneficial effects. However, the use of such substances in certain small populations was found to lead to prolonged side effects, especially when taken in unsupervised settings. Studies on the long-term effects of psychedelics are currently ongoing to further explore this topic.
