The news that psychedelics help alleviate the symptoms and effects of various mental illnesses is nothing new. However, until now, there have been few reports looking into the matter in such extensive detail as the study published this January – in which they concluded that psychedelics could be the answer to the US’s psychological problems, including suicide.

The study in question refers to classic psychedelics as playing a pivotal role. What the researchers are referring to are psychedelics like ayahuasca, magic mushroom, LSD, DMT and mescaline – pretty much anything that activates serotonin 2A within the brain.

THE RESEARCH

The study in question has been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, should you wish to take a look. Before getting into their own work, they begin pretty Meta, summarising all of the previous research that has found results similar to them, noting that despite this, psychedelics still remain scheduled substances within the US.

They then get into the meat of their own work, in which they outline how they analysed the data obtained from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Of the 190,000 participants who responded to the survey, 27,235 reported using classical psychedelics at some point in their lives. It was found that, when compared to the thousands who had not taken psychedelics, this group of pyschonauts had a significantly decreased likelihood of psychological stress, suicidal thinking, suicidal planning, and suicide attempts.

It was also found that those who used psychedelics appeared to be much more open-minded, although it is not established whether this is a cause of, or a reason for, psychedelic drug use.

A PSYCHDELIC FUTURE

This research, combined with the foray of other studies currently being conducted and published, show definitive evidence that there is at least potential for regulated and controlled use of psychedelic medicines in the treatment of mental illness. Addiction, PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, and many other conditions have all been shown to benefit from their use. Yet despite this, psychedelics remain a Schedule I substance in the US, greatly inhibiting further scientific research into the matter. Fortunately, we here in Europe are not so backwards (anymore), and psychedelic research has once again started up after decades of government oppression in the scientific field. Psychedelic research is now coming on in leaps and bounds, and it is hoped that they will one day be able to help billions across the globe. All governments need to do is pull their head out of the sand, and actually back the research.