60 Minutes - the therapeutic use of psychedelics

[CANtalk]

Tonight 60 Minutes on TV is doing a piece on the therapeutic use of psychedelics. I'd expect cannabis to be part of the discussion. Check it out if interested.

 

[biohacker]

Interesting, when I think of psychedelics I do not think of cannabis... only shrooms, lsd, etc... but I guess for some people it could be?

 

[CANtalk]

That episode was not what I was expecting. It was about strong pyschedelics and big doses. Still interesting.

Interesting, when I think of psychedelics I do not think of cannabis... only shrooms, lsd, etc... but I guess for some people it could be?

True... though overall I subscribe to this information.

Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_cannabis

While psychoactive drugs are typically categorized as stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all of them, perhaps leaning more towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced. THC is considered the primary active component of the cannabis plant. Scientific studies have suggested that other cannabinoids like CBD may also play a significant role in its psychoactive effects.

And Psychedelics.com, http://psychedelics.com/thc/is-marijuana-a-psychedelic/

Comparing marijuana and psychedelics

Under the definitions strict of marijuana and psychedelics, they are two different substances not chemically related. Their actions in the body are different as are their effects on the body. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Drug Enforcement Administration, they are two different classes of drug. It is possible to argue that because of this difference in classification it is not a psychedelic. If you take the effects of each into consideration the essential ingredient in cannabis, acts like a psychedelic. Psychedelics cause what is termed expansion of consciousness, heightened cognition or thinking, and hallucinations. Cannabinoids do the same thing in different ways. Cannabinoids are unique to marijuana. Essentially the practical answer to is marijuana a psychedelic is yes, but not in the same way that LSD, MDMA, and others in that class. It contains many of the characteristics, properties, and effects that fall under the definitions of both. This is probably why marijuana is in a class on its own.

It tracks back to the reported successful use of cannabis in depression and anxiety treatment.

Here's the 60 Minutes episode info.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/psyche...ion-depression-anxiety-60-minutes-2019-10-13/

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I kinda hate it when they toss around words like “hallucinations” and “psychedelic”....

For one thing, hallucinations are pretty cut & dried: seeing things that aren’t there.

I may or may not have experienced hallucinations (hard to tell, right?), but I’ve never done so with cannabis as the only input, and have had few if any in association with psychedelics (excluding ‘playful’ visual distortions and effects for lacking specific imaginary content). As for “psychedelic” it’s a term of art and so is used wrongly / badly in most cases: “mind-manifesting” invites too much imagination and conclusion-jumping IMO.

“Entheogen” was intended to get around that sloppiness, I believe, but it may be the most confusing of the three as it gets conflated with the other two *and* miscomprehended in its own right (using a substance as an entheogen, is v. different from substance imposing an entheogenic effect on all comers; is also wrong with the other terms).

Kinda like the way “paranoid” became the popular catch-all term for any sort of anxiety or discomfort 40-50 years ago (only different of course) - but then I’m old, and I talk a lot...appreciate the notice about the episode!

 

[macbill]

As I recall, I think I took a lot of psychedelics, if you count various types of LSD (Orange Barrel, purple ones, blotter, etc), peyote (If you can keep it down, and even if you puke), and mushrooms here in the NW. For me, I don't take LSD any more: there is always for me a part of the "trip" where I question my sanity. "What the fuck did you do to yourself?" I find that very uncomfortable.

But I always liked mushrooms in the right environment. Hope I can score some somewhere down the Road.

 

[ClearBlueLou]

Yes, I’d call all those psychedelics....
May I say, as you live in PNW you should be growing shrooms, or looking for them outside?

I have far less experience with shrooms and cacti than I do with Albert’s Wonder, but the same basic rules seem to apply, in terms of set, setting, companions, distractions, etc. I can honestly say I’ve never had ‘that moment’ where I dreaded ‘what have I done?’ and the fear set in (I’d find that very uncomfortable myself). Seen it happen, of course.

I will admit I was scared of it for a bunch of years (part of being scared by drunks, mad people, the generally deranged, TBH), and I had worse times as a result than I wanted, and more often than I wanted them; but I didn’t know, and no one knew I didn’t know. Had to figure it out for myself.

I don’t do a lot of that stuff anymore - but by comparison I do more of it now than I did (both dosage and frequency) back in my on-the-street days. In a different world, I’d do more than I do now, but I’d still do so mindfully, respectfully, gratefully. The experience can be an astounding teacher., so I like to treat it as a welcome guest....