How can a potential fix for depression, anxiety, and various different disorders be severely outlawed by the United States Government? That fix is psychedelic drugs. Psychedelic drugs are hallucinogenic, mind-altering drugs that vary on effects. There are numerous psychedelics out there; lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ayahuasca, ketamine, just to name a few. The only thing bigger than the actual words are their effects on the human mind and body. Psychedelics have been used for thousands of years by a number of ancient cultures all over the world. Their usage dates back to the ancient Mayans, Egyptians and early Native Americans. There are even theories that question whether psychedelics were one of
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It is nearly impossible to ingest enough of either one of these drugs to overdose on them. The same can not be said for other Schedule I drugs. There are a number of stimulants and drugs that are abused in the United States everyday yet remain legal. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are all legal and arguably more addictive than psychedelics. Negative outcomes are much more unlikely with a good set and setting. Set is described as the mental stability prior to ingestion of the drugs and setting is described as the physical surroundings in which one is in (Psychedelic Facts). Misfortune on psychedelics rarely happens but when it does, studies show if the set and setting were appropriate, the misfortune was more than likely due to prior mental illness existing mental illness either already in the psychedelic user or in the user’s family (Psychedelic Facts). Psychedelic were thought to be a new, profound breakthrough in psychotherapy in the ‘50s, specifically LSD. There were clinical studies being done, research going on, and people were being treated with effectiveness never seen before. By the ’60 psychedelics were no longer being studied, money for research dried up, and clinical trials were shut down. The media had a lot to do with this. The media put out reports that focused solely on the potential negative effects. Which if exaggerated well enough, can sound very frightening. Poor research also resulted in poor clinical trials. Scientist were not taking the time to study psychedelics carefully. Clinical trials were conducted with horrible sets and settings which in turn, resulted in horrible results. Psychedelics also started to be associated with counterculture. The combination of these factors led to psychedelics being classified under Schedule I
It is nearly impossible to ingest enough of either one of these drugs to overdose on them. The same can not be said for other Schedule I drugs. There are a number of stimulants and drugs that are abused in the United States everyday yet remain legal. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are all legal and arguably more addictive than psychedelics. Negative outcomes are much more unlikely with a good set and setting. Set is described as the mental stability prior to ingestion of the drugs and setting is described as the physical surroundings in which one is in (Psychedelic Facts). Misfortune on psychedelics rarely happens but when it does, studies show if the set and setting were appropriate, the misfortune was more than likely due to prior mental illness existing mental illness either already in the psychedelic user or in the user’s family (Psychedelic Facts). Psychedelic were thought to be a new, profound breakthrough in psychotherapy in the ‘50s, specifically LSD. There were clinical studies being done, research going on, and people were being treated with effectiveness never seen before. By the ’60 psychedelics were no longer being studied, money for research dried up, and clinical trials were shut down. The media had a lot to do with this. The media put out reports that focused solely on the potential negative effects. Which if exaggerated well enough, can sound very frightening. Poor research also resulted in poor clinical trials. Scientist were not taking the time to study psychedelics carefully. Clinical trials were conducted with horrible sets and settings which in turn, resulted in horrible results. Psychedelics also started to be associated with counterculture. The combination of these factors led to psychedelics being classified under Schedule I