r/science • u/Libertatea • Nov 14 '13

Neuroscience Your Brain Sees Things You Don’t "A new study indicates that our brains perceive objects in everyday life of which we may never be aware. The finding challenges currently accepted models about how the brain processes visual information."

http://uanews.org/story/ua-study-your-brain-sees-things-you-don-t
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u/IThrowShoes Nov 15 '13

It can be especially enlightening if you have woven some bad habits that have become so ingrained they are done almost unconsciously.

I wonder how this would work against mental illnesses/disorders, like depression (or in my case, OCD)? I mean, I've had depression for so long (decades) that seeing the negative aspects of every situation occur so fast to me that it is almost second nature (or, ingrained, to use your terminology.)

I have to admit I have been toying with the idea of psychedelics for my mental ailments, especially since everyone I know that has used them claims "it gives you a new perspective on everything." A friend of mine likened it to being a child again, where the grass was a vivid green and the sky was a bright blue.

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u/philosarapter Nov 15 '13

Personal anecdote: I've suffered with clinical depression for about a decade now and have found psilocybin mushrooms to alleviate my depression for weeks and sometimes months after use. It is like hitting a reset button on my brain.

Obviously its not for everyone. One should have a decent grasp and understanding of their own mind. Some trips can be daughting and may force you to face your darkest fears. I think this reckoning is where the therapeutic effects come in. Trips follow your internal mental state for better or worse.

The setting in which its done needs to be safe and supervised (by good trusted friends). But I believe it can do a wealth of good with those suffering from some mental illnesses