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Let’s face it: we’ve all heard those terrifying horror stories about LSD at some point; often involving people jumping out of windows, triggering flashbacks, schizophrenia, and whatnot. While there’s certainly some level of truth to such stories – many are merely myths and urban legends that don’t hold any validity. Thankfully, modern scientific research continues to shed more light on how psychedelic drugs affect your body – and how they can be a positive force!

In this article, we break down 8 science-backed benefits of Psychedelics: 

Drug Addiction / Substance Abuse

It has been long known that drug addiction can be treated with the help of Psychedelics. 

In fact, a 1960s trial involving drug addicts found that patients who were given a single, small dose of LSD during a therapeutic session were much more likely to heal from their addiction. Of course, this doesn’t mean dropping acid at home will cure addictions as if this was a rehabilitation facility! However, LSD has been consistently found to have properties that act as the chemical catalyst for a ‘moment of clarity’, which is cited by many addicts as the turning point in their life. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A study by John Hopkins neuroscientists concluded that the psychedelic drug MDMA reopens a kind of window, called a “critical period,” when the brain is sensitive to learning the reward value of social behaviors. The findings indicate that MDMA may be helpful in treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

MDMA, often called ecstasy, has shown potential in studies involving combat veterans. Psilocybin, the main element in magic mushrooms has been found to be a boost for people who face PTSD after traumatic incidents in their life. 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a debilitating disorder that can completely consume the patient’s lives. Many sufferers spend hours on end to undertake repetitive, meaningless tasks that they’re unable to break free from. Fortunately, psychedelics can help to cure the symptoms of OCD and help free people from obsessive thinking. This has been found through several case studies on the subject that involved patients whose OCD symptoms were significantly reduced with the help of LSD. 

Social Anxiety

Microdosing , aka taking in small amounts of LSD to produce a “high”, have been reported to boost mood, ease anxiety and improve creativity and focus. There has been little research on the topic due to restricted funding – but anecdotal evidence continues to suggest that microdosing on LSD leads to a better connection with others, migraine reduction, and rescued social anxiety.

Depression

The link between depression and LSD is perhaps the most researched aspect of psychedelics. It has been widely reported that people who have taken LSD just to treat their depression, and successfully so! The general understanding around this is that LSD fosters new connections between specific brain regions that exhibit cell death in people who have had chronic depression or anxiety. Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that psychedelic drugs can alleviate depression for some people while making it worse for others. This is the brain is too complex to respond to the same drug the same way every time – even for the same person! 

Cluster Headaches 

Cluster headaches, often called “suicide headaches”, can cause an unbearable pain that targets just one side of the face. Sufferers often liken the excruciating pain to someone trying to pull their eyes out. These headaches can go on for lasting many weeks, with numerous attacks on a daily basis. However, studies by the International Headache Congress have found that many patients are still reporting significant relief more than a year after taking LSD to relieve their symptoms. 

End-of-Life Anxiety

End-of-Life Anxiety involves people facing debilitating anxiety over being worried about pain, having to depend on others for treatment, or having to face death due to an illness. New studies have concluded that the use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs significantly decreases the anxiety associated with PTSD, cancer and other conditions. After just a single dose of psilocybin, many patients report feeling a sense of euphoria, peace, optimism, and emotional well-being that can last a year or more. All of this greatly alters their perspective in the face of terminal illness.

Creative Enhancement

Taking psychedelic drugs can cause an expansion of consciousness that lasts for several days. Researchers have found that people who drank a tea made from hallucinatory mushrooms showed enhancements in creative thinking and empathy – and it lasted for several days. The participants were given a bunch of psychological tests on the day before, the day after, and one week after their psychedelic trip. And they showed significantly more empathy and creativity!

As of now, research evaluating the beneficial uses of Psychedelics is extremely restricted, and does not receive funding from academic or government institutions. As science continues to shed light on this stigmatized topic – it is hoped that things will change tremendously in the next 5-10 years!