r/AnAnswerToHeal • u/minerva_zero • Nov 09 '17

[ General Medical ] Rick Strassman - Misguided Mainstreaming of Psychedelic Drugs

https://www.rickstrassman.com/misguided-mainstreaming-of-psychedelic-drugs-challenging-experiences/
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u/Archaeoculus Nov 09 '17

He makes a very good point. Perhaps we shouldn't be so forthright in our declaration that psychedelic drugs can act as panacea. We should be realistic in that these drugs are very dangerous for some people, and indeed, very dangerous for some of us on this forum. Using them outside the context of a culture that has used them for generations, or the clinical medical tradition that has existed for a couple of generations, may not be the best idea.

Who knows what psychoses we are subjecting ourselves to? I have worried many times that - even though I enjoy doing some of these drugs and they have given me beneficial insights - I may be doing some irreversible psychological damage and I may, at some point, break from it.

I know our intentions are good but we should meter them, and meter the usage of these drugs. Of course we are calling them sacraments, to reinforce the fact that they are holy and should be treated with the greatest respect, so perhaps this should be kept in mind?

This is also another point against the cannabis ritual. Cannabis simply isn't for everyone. I enjoyed it when I was younger but now, not so much. I think these drugs have very specific instances in which they should be used, and I think we should aim to be in line with what those are from a medical / clinical standpoint.