WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF PSYCHEDELICS?
Psychedelics like psilocybin (the psycho-active compound found in magic mushrooms), used respectfully and intelligently, are a powerful tool for healing. As reported in the peer-reviewed literature by research leaders like MAPS (the Multi-Disciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), Johns Hopkins and Imperial College London, they can significantly improve outcomes in those struggling with treatment-resistant depression, alcohol addiction, opioid addiction, end-of-life anxiety and PTSD where conventional interventions have had little success. Even people with no significant mental illness have shown profoundly improved psychological functioning - better emotional regulation, cognition, interpersonal closeness, a sense of purpose or meaning in life, social engagement, coping - in essence, a holistic transformation in wellbeing.
And increasingly we are understanding some of the mechanisms behind these potentialities. For example, modern neuroscience indicates that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin have the capacity to dial down the activity of the default mode network (DFM), a group of interacting brain regions believed to be the cognitive architecture with which we painstakingly construct our ego.
This `I’ infrastructure is believed to help our unusually big brains filter the bewildering mass of sensory and cognitive input they are deluged with millisecond by millisecond through the prism of a constructed self, prioritising the information - creating the neural equivalent of algorithms based on memory and perceived goals - most relevant to that self’s individual survival and success. But this rigid efficiency comes at the expense of all sorts of other possible dimensions of thought and understanding, meaning we adapt less flexibly to our circumstances and what life brings our way. When we ingest psychedelics, those rigid neural circuits - soldered in the motherboards of our brains by where and how we’ve been raised - short-circuit, in a sense.
“It appears that when activity in the DFM falls off precipitously, the ego temporarily vanishes, and the usual boundaries we experience between self and world, subject and object, melt away.” — (Investigative journalist Michael Pollan, from his bestselling book, How To Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence).
When the ego recedes, disorder and entropy are re-introduced, returning our brain to a more primitive, ‘primary state’, like that of the infant we were before family, education and society shaped our perception of who we are and what we want. New neural bridges are able to spring up and connect previously distant parts of our brains and subconscious material that has been suppressed can come to the forefront. Self-awareness, narrow-mindedness and fixed certainties about our self and its place in the world fade for a while, and we are freed of our usual traffic of hardwired beliefs and self-beliefs, prejudices, expectations, fears and judgements. The stage is thus set for the penetration of new ideas, insights, concepts and levels of perception.
In essence, these substances can shift our entire world view in a short space of time. This is important, because many conditions, such as depression, anxiety, OCD and eating disorders (one of which I lived with for years), are characterised by cognitive rigidity, a pattern of inflexible and repetitive thoughts and behaviours, that are often resistant to standard medical treatments available. Re-introducing the capacity to flexibly adapt our thinking and responses is vital for overall wellbeing in a constantly shifting world.
And thanks to the phenomenon of neuroplasticity - brain flexibility - our brains are able to retain and build on these new connections. If we put in the effort necessary to support this process and integrate the insights gained, enduring change is possible, within a relatively short timeframe.
Are they safe?
While physical side-effects are usually limited to some reporting nausea and headaches during the experience, psychological side-effects are possible. This risk can be significantly reduced - and benefits greatly enhanced - by the creation of a safe, non-judgemental space overseen by specialist facilitators guided by safety protocols.
Safety protocols in psychedelic-assisted therapeutic work are collectively described as ‘set and setting’, a phrase coined by Harvard psychologist and psychedelics advocate Timothy Leary in the Sixties, to describe the mindset with which you approach taking a psychedelic and the context in which you journey.
Set describes how well-prepared you are, both personally and with the guidance of your facilitator/s. At the physical level, for example, not being on any other substances, including alcohol or contraindicated medications, and declaring any medical conditions, such as a history of heart problems, that could leave you vulnerable to potentially dangerous physiological side effects. Then there is the quality of your diet, indicating how well you resource your body nutritionally for what can be a physically demanding experience.
Mentally, it can include ensuring a lack of any history of psychosis, which can be badly triggered by psychedelics, and that you are well-informed about the substance you’ll be taking. And emotionally, it means considering the support infrastructure you have around you — family, friends, community, therapist, grounding practices like yoga and meditation — to lean on in order to stabilise should difficult material arise.
Setting describes where you’re doing it and who you will be with. Does it feel welcoming, safe and legally sanctioned, and will your needs be met? How experienced is your guide/s and do you trust him/her/them?
OUR ‘SET AND SETTING’
These, as an example, are the set and setting protocols we have put in place for ESSENTIYA’S retreats:
A clinical screening call at first point of contact with a psychotherapist
A second onboarding call with our founder and head facilitator
A pre-retreat therapeutic session with a psychotherapist
A psychotherapist on site during each retreat
A facilitation team with extensive experience working with psychedelics as well as other healing modalities, including trauma-informed body-breath-mind practices and transformational coaching
Pre-retreat breathwork and meditation practices to equip guests with the tools to self-regulate their nervous systems, which can help them remain calm during their experience
Grounding, stabilising trauma-informed yoga, breathwork and meditation sessions during the retreat, before and after ceremony
A beautiful, purpose-built retreat space surrounded by nature
Healthy, organic vegetarian/vegan cooking overseen by an Ayurvedic nutritionist
Follow up integration call with the retreat group and facilitation team
Two follow up integration sessions with a psychotherapist
A comprehensive integration ‘manual’ and extensive package of options for integration work in the weeks and months following the retreat
Set-up of a Telegram group with all guests from the retreat, a vital peer-to-peer support system of people who shared in the experience, arguably one of the most important integration resources
