It’s Time to Start Studying the Downside of Psychedelics

Before psychedelic therapy and services becomes widely available, there needs to be a better understanding of all the ways these experiences can go wrong.

[www.vice.com]

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When psychedelics begin to be taken more widely, there will be a variety of less-than-ideal outcomes, said psychedelic researchers and therapists that Motherboard (Vice News technology department) consulted.

There could be sexual abuse and boundary violations from therapists and facilitators, hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD), psychological or physical side effects, worsening mental health, or spiritual emergencies.

There will also likely be people who have disappointing experiences when the miraculous “cure” they were hoping for does not transpire. Nothing works 100% of the time for 100% of people, and infrastructure needs to be set up in advance to support these cases—ideally before psychedelics are made available to millions in legalized settings, like Oregon, or in the medical system through FDA approval.

(Quoted from above)

There will also likely be people who have disappointing experiences when the miraculous “cure” they were hoping for does not transpire. Nothing works 100% of the time for 100% of people.

Corboy note:

Concerns for therapeutic safety must include the nature of the social scene - the context - that is the context in which the drug is advertised, glamorized, valorized and the types of persons attracted to administering the drug - and whether they are persons who welcome responsibility and see themselves as accountable to the ethics of their profession.

It is historical fact that the psychedelics are a class of drugs that, unlike OTC cold remedies or antibiotics, have immense mystique and attracted a wide range of people:

Intellectuals, artists, healers.

The power of psychedelics and the vulnerability of those taking them have also attracted a ghastly gallery of predators and trust pirates.

In the absence of psychedelics well intentioned therapists can and have succumbed to temptation and become ego inflated pied pipers. Add in the magus/psychopomp archetype that comes with shepherding person after person through therapeutic drug experiences and the temptations for the professional therapist multiply. His or her social situation may change and diversify -- and the naive therapist may be pulled into the orbit of a predator.

Trainee therapists and those completing their supervised hours under supervision may be vulnerable if their preceptor becomes ego inflated by psychedelic practice.

Persons reporting adverse reactions to psychedelics risk being shouted down, shamed and stigmatized as mentally ill by enthusiasts for psychedelics. Too often this has resulted in underreporting of adverse side effects (aka bad trips)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2022 02:03AM by corboy.

Timely post.

This podcast series also discusses abuse of power within 'therapeutic' psychedelic settings. Transcripts also available for episodes for those like me who prefer to read rather than listen.

[www.thecut.com]