Psychedelic experience is a wide range of possibilities on the continuum from assisted psychedelic psychotherapy, research into the effects of psychedelics, their therapeutic use (particularly in the field of treating trauma, addictions and research into their effect on the human psyche), the use of PSDs within a framework that does not respect the principles of good set and settling with a vague motivation but a positive outcome, and ultimately the experience that arose within the latter use but with negative consequence
“Bad trip” is a term used for a very negative experience with PSD (very common manifestations are anxiety, panic, paranoid experiencing, abandonment, fear of death, etc.)
Flashback can be described as a part of a bad trip experience that is triggered by a bad trip detail whose trigger quality often may not be recognized. Anxiety attacks are a common symptom
Assisted psychedelic psychotherapy is currently the most promising developing therapy for PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome) with the help of MDMA (more information on https://maps.org
Harm reduction - raising awareness of the effects of PSD
It is not our intention here to discuss the issue of legalisation of PSD substances, but to suggest in the following quote a problem that is hidden in part under the heading of illegalization. Their ban, in the Czech Republic in 1974, not only slowed down research opportunities, but also suppressed a healthy level of awareness - not only for users, but also for professionals who might be much better able to offer professional help if they knew how. Hanscarl Leuner, in his 1995 or 1996 lecture, called on the German federal government to reauthorize research and study programs on these substances. He used the following analogy: "Here's the thing with substances: Tickets are sold down the hill, and the cable car takes the skiers up. There's no one at the top of the hill to tell them how to get down. And so they are just going down or falling down, and there are multiple accidents. Paramedics are waiting down the hill, taking accident victims to the hospital, where they put back together. But we need not rescuers below the hill, but ski instructors on the top of the hill to explain the rules of the ride to the skiers and escort them safely down the hill.’
This "ski metaphor" opens up space for the current concept of assisted therapy with psychedelics, in which highly trained guides are necessary. In this context, we see raising awareness of the effects of PSD as an important part of the aid. Awareness of the potential risks related to the context in which the sessions took place, contraindications, both psychological and somatic, helping to find the factors involved in the difficulties arising after PSD use, helping to find a broader framework for what emerged
Greater awareness is not an offer of learning how to properly conduct psychedelic therapy, but the prevention of unnecessary risks
Psychedelic/ spiritual bypass - a term closely related to the use of PSD at present. .
Some people avoid solving their emotional and behavioural problems by resorting to spiritual practice. Welwood (2000) referred to it as "spiritual bypass" - "spiritual detour." We recognize several types, e.g.
fear of intimacy leading to a monk's lifestyle
belonging to a particular cult, Relieving the need to tackle fragile ego
PSD experience sometimes leads to glorification and over-emphasizing PSD experience
Risk: Reorganizing attitudes to the world, relationships, understanding everyday problems by one or several profound experiences
Dangerous option: “I'm a teacher, I've had some experience with PSDs, so I can offer them to others”. Business option: For a lot of money
False spiritualisation of recreational use - with the help of a hint of ritual and spiritual jargon, the use of PSD is interpreted as a spiritual practice
(Zuda in Transpersonální myšlení v psychologii a psychoterapii (see Zuda,T. in Winker, P. (ed) Úvod do transpersonální psychologie a psychoterapie, 1. vyd. Praha :Triton 2016, ISBN 978-80-7553-034-9)
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