A study published in February found that the hallucinogenic drugs often work faster and better for patients than traditional antidepressants.
Research suggests that psychedelic drugs are able to slip through the outer membranes of our brain cells and flip chemical switches that traditional antidepressants and other drugs simply can’t. This process may be why, in a number of cases, a confluence of talk therapy and use of naturally-occurring psychedelic substances and others work better and faster, The Scientist argued.
Such substances include LSD; N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), found in the psychoactive drink ayahuasca; and psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, all of which attach to the serotonin 2A receptors found across the brain, LiveScience noted. More research is needed to understand whether these receptors can be activated by something naturally in the body, but the results shed light on a long-held understanding that psychedelics are inherently useful for treating depression.
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— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 3, 2022
The study further adds to the growing body of evidence supporting these positive impacts of psychedelics. Such evidence led to two National Defense Authorization Act amendments in 2022 that would allow research into psychedelic treatments for veterans and active-duty service members. (RELATED: New Study Suggests Psychedelics Can ‘Free Up The Brains’ Of People With Severe Depression)
Super Bowl champion Aaron Rodgers has credited his success to psychedelic plant ayahuasca. In mid-2022, he claimed that his mental health, unconditional love, and the “best season” of his career was due to his use of the plant.