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Why do i use psychedelics if i'm Christian and not pagan?
Well, if you ignore the paganic rituals using entheogens, there are lot of science and evidence to support the benefits of psychedelics.
Especially for me that got cured from depression after LSD trips, and a long journey of dealing with it with other psychedelics, i also stopped drinking for four years after a Wachuma overdose (i don't recommend overdoses, by the way).
I'm also a schizoid person and i have an huge anhedonia, which sometimes makes me not perceive how some of the words i use can impact people.
Not only those substances are safe, it can be healthy too.
Some Christians criticize me for calling myself Christian and also talking about using LSD, while some of them literally drink one of the worst and one of the most addictive drugs ever: alcohol!
It amazes me some people don't even treat alcohol as a drug, it is one of the worst drugs that exist! It is by popularity that it is not prohibited, but it is very bad to health and also in terms of mental effects.
I also don't think all psychedelics are good, like, Ketamine. And, also, MDMA is not a psychedelic, but an empathogen, and i personally dislike it and i don't recommend.
And, importantly, take in mind that i'm not "recommending" the use of psychedelics, and neither saying that you should use psychedelics. I'm just giving my reasons for why i use, and certain information about it. Because, in my opinion, if it was useless like any drug, i wouldn't have reasons to write an article like this, i wouldn't have "excuses" to use it. I wont give reasons and excuses to alcohol drinking.
If you liked my article (please, read it fully first), you may also get interested in additional information i can give about psychedelics:
https://telegra.ph/Sharing-knowledge-about-psychedelics-11-01
Before posting studies and resources, i'm going to approach the
First of all, i want to address that:
Ok, let's go...
MY ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE SPIRIT:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law" - Galatians 5:22-23.
I wont say this happens to everyone, i think there is lot of parameters to take in account. However, these are commonly reported effects, and even people that use for parties and having no self-control, one moment or later uses it and reflect about what they do and have regrets or "bad-trips". In general, this verse is pretty generally agreeable as a comparison with the effects of psychedelics, especially for people that use to aid on spiritual practice or therapeutic reasons.
Psychedelics leads us to higher degree of perception, cognition, creativity, sensibility, emotions, pattern matching, wisdom, intellect and more; which can sometimes lead one to a mystical experience. If God is a God of Truth, and Wisdom a fruit of God's spirit, then, seems like psychedelics aren't a problem to what is considered Godly.
"I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows. And I know that this man — whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows — was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were too sacred for words, things that man is not permitted to tell" - 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.
I think most people that had a breakthrough experience with psychedelics can relate a lot with those verses. "I will go" assumes that is something to seek to achieve. And there are lot of talking in 1 Corinthians book about the spiritual gifts, and a chapter explaining to people to achieve those gifts (1 Corinthians 14), and another to practice perfection (1 Corinthians 13). Which are things the psychedelics aid into doing. There are lot of testimonies of people regretting their sins, addictions and etc by the use of psychedelics; which is an important step to develop perfection. In such cases, psychedelics can even be seem as spiritual in biblical terms.
About increase of spiritual qualities recommended by God:
To the argument of "but you shouldn't force such mental states". There is nothing indicating it, otherwise, for example:
"Earnestly pursue love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy" - 1 Corinthians 14:1.
In my view, what i see is to take advantages of the effects of psychedelic to develop better my perfection as a way that i achieve what i "earnestly pursue"...
I think something i debated with lot of people is about being dependent or abuse. I think that as everything in life we should not become dependent of substances to practice perfection. And so, as someone that used to smoke a lot of weed everyday, i think this is not a good way to practice, i think it is important to have moments of sobriety to deal with what is inside you "without aid" so you can train your "mental muscles" i would say.
And i also think there is a limit that trespass spiritual use and becomes, let's say: "confusion". At least, for me, seems like there is a limit of the gain increase in the sensibility to stimulus, and when it trespass a certain threshold, then the impacts of stimulus makes you in a state of either "immobility" or "inquietude". I used to have heavy doses, and i think it is a learning curve, you "boost more" when you are new to it, since you still want to explore and understand and practice this sensibility. Then you reduce "your boost" by time after you already understand it and already practiced, because now you already achieved a level that a small dose is enough for you to reach the correct mental state that you have as threshold.
And, some people are overly sensible or have certain psychological symptoms that may indeed make some people paranoid or even give them delirium, so i don't think it is for everyone, or maybe for some a very small threshold.
And so, everything should be used with moderation.
If "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" - Ephesians 6:12, then, if we can use plants that increases our wisdom and cognitive capacities, which gives us an Armor of God, so we can deal better against the evil and their philosophical tactics, so why not?
"But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect" - 1 Peter 3:15, so, isn't it prudent for me to boost my mind with psychedelics as a way to defend my faith even better? I think most of my apologetic came from the increase in creativity that was boosted by the use of such substances, most of the text you read from me are fruit of an increased awareness from the use of psychedelics. In this case, psychedelics were useful for me to advance God's words and the gospel. It was a tool used for the better of my preaching.
I want to also address that i don't view psychedelics as a necessity for understanding Scripture but rather as an aid, thus showing respect for those who may feel that reliance on any substance for understanding spiritual matters could seem problematic.
I wrote in an article:
The most short explanation i can give about the effects:
I see like kids are naturally under this effect, so, you become a kid again.
"Jesus invited a little child to stand among them. "Truly I tell you," He said, "unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me"" - Matthew 18:2-5.
Unless it is a higher dose, but that is like saying when you puke after drinking too much that this is the effect of alcohol.
And so, in this case, i think we become what God sees as traits that would be of "the greatest in the kingdom of heaven".
ARGUMENTS ABOUT NOT HAVING A PROBLEM IN ENJOYING THINGS:
"Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works: Let your garments always be white,
and never spare the oil for your head.
Enjoy life with your beloved wife all the days of the fleeting life that God has given you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For this is your portion in life and in your labor under the sun. Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom" - Ecclesiastes 9:7-10.
Seems like the bible is not against enjoying substances, if we can use wine, that is way worse to our body than the psychedelics that i use, so why not enjoy things with some weed and LSD?
ARGUMENTS ABOUT LACK OF BIBLICAL PROHIBITION:
There is nothing in the bible that condemns psychedelics.
Also, God gave us all the plants for us to use, and also, by my interpretations, we kind of like can rule the things of the world.
"Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. (...) And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good" - Genesis 1:29,31.
Here we can see not only that all plants are are given to us, but also that God made the plants and saw it as "very good". So, arguments like "weed, Wachuma, Ayahuasca, Psilocybe is from Satan; open portals to demons; is made to communicate with spirits", it is like saying God's creation is not from God, like saying God can make satanic tools, that God made a plant knowing that people would use and be misled; then God saw all that and yet felt that this is "very good", sorry, it does not make sense to me, a plant with this description is not "very good". This is also not comparable to the Forbidden Fruit, which was explicitly prohibited by God; yet very likely had a purpose for God for other reason and was also seem as "very good".
To the arguments that "there are indeed poisonous plant": that does not mean "all natural things are good to us", however, those psychedelic plants are the opposite of poisonous, you need a humongous amount of weed, psilocybin and etc to die, and in fact psychedelics have healthy benefits, most including the creation of new brain cells (neurogenesis). Weed is know to be a powerful antioxidant and a promising tool for combating cancer, it is also neuroprotective, to the contrary of alcohol, which lot Christians don't mind to use.
For the teetotalist Christians, the same applies, alcohol is toxic, it is undeniable that it harms the body, and it is not a small damage. Also, i won't say people should use psychedelics, but that the option to use is not to do pagan things and neither to superficially "get high" with something "toxic". I think most people relate psychedelics like "getting crazy" like they see on alcohol and partying people as reference.
"Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" - 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.
Take in mind, i'm going to show studies that shows psychedelics may be good (in terms of, beneficial) for some people. In such case, then, if psychedelics are good, why would i not "hold fast" to it?
"For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected" - 1 Timothy 4:4.
Some people may disregard 1 Timothy because the polemic involving it being in fact written by Polycarp.
Yet, i still think this verse makes sense even if one thinks this is not from Paul. Because, if you read the bible and understand the overall tone that is given about the world as God creation, seems like this is what we interpret from it.
"“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything" - 1 Corinthians 6:12.
So, even if we were to consider that psychedelics are harmful, it is still permitted. And if it is not harmful, then, better yet, not only is not prohibited, but also it is good and i "hold fast to what is good".
And so: denying the benefits and facts about psychedelics is not about Christianity or not.
In before the, "but you can have everything through God, so why psychedelics". My view is that "one can fight with his fists, but it is always better to have a sword".
Also, that is like saying "if God can do everything, why eating and using medicine? Why fasting? Why Praying?", well, because eating is good for us, there are good substances that are healthy. Healthy substances on such plants are not exactly food, but it is not so different than "nutrition". Why would i avoid something that benefits me and keep hoping God to provide something he already provided in plants? That is like the "Parable of the drowning man", you know?! But more like in this version i made:
In fact, it is so ambiguous the idea of a prohibition, that not even the old Hebrews themselves noticed they were doing "something bad", and it is very likely that they also used for mind altering purposes. It was found in an ancient temple, vestiges of cannabis used as incense, "according to the study, these findings suggested that cannabis was burned for a psychoactive role as part of a ritual, since the use of hallucinogenic substances for cultic purposes in the Ancient Near East has been documented.
Terpenoids, which determine the scent of flowers, fruits and grasses, were also discovered. Since the smell akin to cannabis is available in many plants, the authors concluded the cannabis wasn’t imported for its smell or therapeutic qualities, but for its “mind-altering abilities”".
Take that in mind, "the use for cultic purposes", they knew those plants aids in the cult of God or gods, however the God they cult is Yahweh, and then, the use of psychedelics is not the problem, is what you cult under the effect. Since, the idea i have is that psychedelic, as it is, technically and unbiased, improve what we need mentally for our cult, and so, it is not a problem to use it to cult God. And it seems that this is how the Hebrews saw psychedelics at the time, innocently and humble, just do it and explore, and not with the idea that "they are using bad drugs that open portals to demons" (hyperbole), which is how i believe we should behave towards the things of the world.
ADDRESSING PHARMACOPOEIA / PHARMAKEIA:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacopoeia
I think this is an overly stretched interpretation people have as a straw-holding to find ways to prohibit psychedelics under a biblical premise.
Let's first address the word in itself:
φαρμακεία (pharmakeia) is used only in two verses.
One of the verses is easy to explain:
"The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your pharmakeia" - Revelation 18:23.
This verse is not talking about prohibition or not of pharmakeia, it is a verse about a metaphor personificating Babylon.
This verse is the one that is normally used as example of biblical prohibition of psychedelics:
"idolatry and pharmakeia; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions" - Galatians 5:20.
So, my answer will point to this one.
First, let's address small points before making my main argument...
Some translations translate it as "witchcraft" and "sorcery", this is very important to take in consideration.
And it talks more about a catalogue of vices, and not a mere use of substances, it also talks about people that get drunk and get in orgies, which does not mean doing sex for reproduction in a marriage or enjoying some wine is bad. It is talking about "those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God", because it is talking about this kind of person that are hedonist and careless about the spiritual practices.
It says at verses 16-17:
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want"
Desires of the flesh should be the highlighted point in the discussion being made.
This is also the chapter that talks about the "fruits of the Spirit" (verses 22-23); which i already posted previously as a reference that the effects of such substances aligns with "The Fruits of the Spirit" and not with what those "wordily hedonist people of the flesh" do.
Ok, now i'm going to elaborate my argument...
Definition of φαρμακεία:
The use of medicine, drugs or spells;
Magic, sorcery, enchantment.
Pharmakeía (from pharmakeuō, "administer drugs") – properly, drug-related sorcery, like the practice of magical-arts, etc. (A. T. Robertson).
So, to be clear, the definition in simple terms that we can consider in my answer is that pharmakeía is:
"Sorcery effects or events that comes from the use of a drug"
and that "drug" is "drug made for a specific spell", this is very important in my arguments.
Let's take in mind some stuff first...
... Isn't alcohol a drug? In this case, so we shouldn't use wine too, right?! So, take in mind that it talks about "drug related sorcery", right?! It does not condemn specific substances. It does not condemn coffee, incenses and etc.
If you use psychedelics and not in a "drug-related sorcery", would it consist in "pharmakeía"? I don't think so, and i'm going to explain better why...
Because, in fact, this idea is not about the use of psychedelics, the use of the benefits of it for our mind and health. Everyone knows that we can use medicine and healthy substances, like, a vitamin supplement or something. You wont get fed by eating garlic, but you may eat garlic because the health benefits of it besides the taste, even if not for medicinal purposes.
The idea most people get confused is that those verses are talking about brews like Ayahuasca and etc. But that is not true, especially if we consider the place we are talking about.
This idea comes more from the typical pagan stuff like "love potions", or things related to that, like, the typical witch stuff: drinking the blood of an animal because this and that. This would be seem as a type of sorcery made through "medicine", a love potion is a type of sorcery made through a potion, used with intention for supernatural events. A love potion is a "drug related sorcery", it is "a drug to induce the spell of love", that is what i consider pharmakeía to be.
If we compare with other types of magic utensils talked in the bible, it makes sense to see pharmakeía as another utensil, like, magical amulets.
I think the best example is the Chinese Alternative Medicines.
I once saw a video, i can't remember correctly, but i think it had raw blood of an organ of a snake. This is crazy!
Most of that type of medicine practiced in China is based on assumptions about the appearance or location of the ingredients, like, "if associated with genitalia, so it is aphrodisiac", which makes no sense in a scientific perspective.
I believe this image above encompasses what truly is Pharmakeia.
The cartoonish view of a witch dropping frog legs in a caldron to curse someone should be seem as Pharmakeia. And not the act of cutting a cactus and drinking a psychedelic tea from it, there is no "specific sorcery effect, like, to-bring-love or to-curse-someone" in a cactus tea.
And even if we consider psychedelics like a "drug that is used to do sorcery", Psychedelics don't necessarily needs to be used for "sorcery", then it also does not apply; the mere accusation of psychedelics as "drug that is used in sorcery" is a very lay take about psychedelics, the uses and doses of it. There are even atheists that uses psychedelics, they are obviously not doing any kind of sorcery (even if i agree that atheists do lot of sorcery accidentally, but mostly because they use satanist or pagan stuff to provoke us, which then is sorcery, not because the atheists per say, but because the pagan and satanic reasons of such symbols, mantras, rites and etc).
The neurological effects of psychedelics are basically simple increase of our brain functions and to leave the default-mode. The use of psychedelics for therapeutic and mental benefits are way different than the idea of using it for sorcery. Even atheists can use thinking of it in such way.
Using it to have joy, love, an increase in awareness and cognition is not the same as "doing a love potion". Using it to deal with depression, addiction, anxiety, PTSD, phobias and etc is not the same as "this potion will make you invisible" (sorcery). Using to increase your awareness, cognition and pattern recognition to perceive the spiritual, just like we can do sober while meditating in our prayers or the bible, is not the same as "a potion for necromancy that will invoke a demon / familiar to talk to you" (reference to Leviticus 19:31).
Especially if one person already saw other religions and know exactly how these people mess with the spiritual, and the spiritual effects of their sorcery, dances, rites and trance like states to talk to spirits. There is countless people that used psychedelics and never did anything like that.
Using psychedelics is NOT like what those people do in their rituals, and it DOES NOT need to invoke entities, it does not even need to be used for spiritual purposes. There is numerous lay people that use and never saw any spirit, was never possessed, never had any significant direct contact with weird spiritual forces.
Since, what truly is sorcery?:
Merriam:
sor·cery ˈsȯr-sə-rē
ˈsȯrs-rē
mag·ic ˈma-jik
The act of using spells, or chatting to spirits, is deemed as an abomination in the Biblical text.
It is clear to see that the word sorcery is synonymous with magic and witchcraft as related to supernatural states or works.
The base meaning of the word means to whisper a spell, enchant, or practice magic.
In the Bible, a sorcerer was someone who practiced magic, divination, or occult arts by invoking supernatural powers or spirits.
In conclusion, "the use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces" does not match at all with psychedelics. Psychedelics DOESN'T give you supernatural power. Instead things like "love potions" would fit this description, a love potion is a drug and it is related to "spell with supernatural power", aka: "drug-related sorcery".
So let's break it down...
First, what the use of psychedelic IS NOT:
Second, what the use of psychedelic IS:
Addressing the Greek Ergot problem:
People say that there is evidences that the Greeks indeed used Ergot in their pharmakeia, and that it would prove that psychedelic brews are pharmakeia.
Ergot is the primary resource for LSD, it in itself is psychedelic, however, Ergot is toxic.
If that was true, then, Greeks used all sort of plants in their "pharmakeia", lot of plants we use in our culinary and etc. It is not the problem of the plant, but about how the plant is used. Pharmakeia, once again, is about the "drug related sorcery", the problem here is not the Ergot itself, but the fact it was used to achieve certain mental states that would be used for ritual and sorcery types of activities.
The brew wouldn't be only Ergot, but also with other herbs and all with a specific purpose seem by the fact they would attribute spiritual reasons for those herbs, this "specific purpose", is what differentiates Pharmakea to a mere use of a substance, plant and etc. If we are to consider such case as proof, then we shouldn't eat garlic either, since there is lot of religions that consider garlic a spiritual plant and use it for sorcery, like, protective spells. Using garlic for protective spell = "drug related sorcery"; eating garlic because it is beneficial to the health = "no problem, God made the garlic and he saw as 'very good'". The same for LSD, using Ergot to "make one get in a spiritual state to practice sorcery" = "drug related sorcery"; taking psychedelics for mental acuity, depression, addiction and the benefits such substances do = "no problem, God made those plants and he saw as 'very good'".
Let's also take in mind that since Ergot is toxic, then, to attack this specific brew wouldn't nullify the other types of psychedelics that are in fact healthy. We shouldn't harm ourselves to achieve a spiritual state, but i think there is no problem to have a spiritual aid that does not harm us, otherwise, once again, that in studies is shown that is beneficial to us instead.
Before posting the scientific articles i said i would post...
God is a God of Truth. If science shows that psychedelics can be beneficial, then that should be reason enough for Christians to reconsider their stance. These plants exist in God’s creation, and it seems likely that He intended them for our benefit and use, providing mental and spiritual insights that align with a healthy mind. To me, this is self-evident.
God made a healthy-mind-booster, saw it and said "this is Very Good", and then human sinners by the law of the men said "ewww, that is not from God, that is from Satan, it open doors to demons!"
It is disheartening when Christians, instead of acknowledging the potential God placed in these natural tools that he created himself, are quick to label them as "demonic" or "Satanic"; which in fact sounds like an offense to God's Very Good Creation. Such a reaction doesn't honor our faith; instead, it misrepresents and stain Christianity. Many people, having experienced the clearly positive effects of psychedelics, know that such dismissals are baseless. If Christians openly embraced these benefits, people seeking truth might actually find that Christianity is True and aligns with science and reality.
This attitude may guide them to paganism instead, that will tell them: "see, we believe in psychedelics, unlike the liars that are the Christians! However, you should do our sorcery too, how about that?". It is more dangerous to neglect psychedelics than to embrace it, this is very problematic.
When people hear unfounded claims, they cringe and tend to dismiss the entire message and flee from the Church, and that shouldn't be happening in the Church. By embracing science where it supports those mere plants of God's creation instead of the teaching of men (based on their heart and prejudice), we make Christianity a model of truth and wisdom, just as Proverbs says: "He who trusts in himself (own heart) is a fool, but one who walks in wisdom will be safe" - Proverbs 28:26. Embracing scientific truths in a discerning way shows wisdom, and there's no reason for Christians to develop a reputation for rejecting facts. Wise people accept facts from science!
And i don't rebuke like that because i'm being evil, it is a wake up call for you guys to stop being so moved by non-biblical ideas of men and to reconcile the Church with Science.
As research on psychedelics advances and more people being users, it becomes a HUGE disservice for the Church to ignore their benefits. Dismissing their positive qualities may not only alienate potential believers but may also deny a part of God’s wisdom (in terms of those people not going to the Church and lacking knowledge of the Gospel, which let them run on the enemies' traps in case they use psychedelics for spiritual reasons). This isn’t about compromising the faith; it’s about realizing that "knowledge" and "wisdom" are part of our spiritual heritage. Let's make the Church to become something that is attractive by being an example of WISDOM!
This is a wake-up call to my fellow Christians to align the Church with truth, not the rules of men. It is obvious that there is no problem in those plants, that it isn't anti-biblical, heretic or pagan. Wisdom means engaging with knowledge, not avoiding it; sorry the words, but of course ignorance is not a Godly attitude, and of course that i'm not saying one would lose salvation or something for being ignorant...
We should seek to strengthen the Church's witness by integrating science where it supports God's creation. If this message sounds rebellious, then so be it: maybe it’s time for a little reform within our reformation.
Maybe, in this case in special, i'm post-protestant, i would then not only be protestant but also protestant of protestants!
Wake up, Christians! Be WISE! Use your brain, reason, and don't follow the doctrine of MEN! Science and religion should be together, because God is Truth!
Here i'm going to add some studies or media that compile the knowledge from numerous studies to a proper conclusion or concept.
VERY W.I.P. For now i just copy pasted some links i passed to friends on chats and a piece of the message i gave to them. I'll then comment and organize it better and give it titles and etc. I'm also going to gather way more studies than those.
ABOUT TOXICITY:
https://cannabis.net/blog/funny/this-is-why-you-could-never-overdose-or-die-from-marijuana
ABOUT MISCONCEPTIONS:
My own article:
Beyond Fear: Cannabis, Psychedelics, Psychosis, and the Endocannabinoid System;
https://blog.drcannabis.com.br/5-mitos-sobre-a-cannabis-medicinal-e-seus-efeitos/
Mito 4 – Cannabis mata neurônios
Com base em um estudo realizado pela Universidade de Louisville, o consumo de cannabis a longo prazo e pesado não mata as células cerebrais. Os compostos ativos encontrados na planta são antioxidantes potentes, o que significa que protegem o DNA de danos causados por toxinas ambientais e biológicas. A pesquisa mostrou que essas propriedades antioxidantes são neuroprotetoras, ou seja, combatem os danos às células cerebrais. E mais, os compostos da cannabis estão na lista das poucas substâncias que promovem o crescimento de novas células cerebrais.
Fast online translation:
Myth 4 - Cannabis kills neurons
Based on a study conducted by the University of Louisville, long-term and heavy cannabis use does not kill brain cells. The active compounds found in the plant are potent antioxidants, meaning they protect DNA from damage caused by environmental and biological toxins. Research has shown that these antioxidant properties are neuroprotective, that is, they fight brain cell damage. What’s more, cannabis compounds are on the list of few substances that promote the growth of new brain cells.
ABOUT MEDICINE AND BENEFITS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEcBvwbgXiI
// This Psychedelic Therapy Just Cured Depression and Is Going Mainstream
Video also talks a little about neurological effects and other interesting information besides the main topic.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070417193338.htm
"The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies".
https://news.emory.edu/stories/2025/07/hs_psilocybin_aging_study_10-07-2025/story.html
"Nature Partner Journals’ Aging demonstrates that psilocin, a byproduct of consuming psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, extended the cellular lifespan of human skin and lung cells by more than 50%".
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/think-act-be/202309/how-magic-mushrooms-can-fix-depression
"It’s remarkable that a single dose of a drug can produce such powerful effects on depression—especially among a group of people who had been depressed for just over a year, on average".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mescaline
"Mescaline has a wide array of suggested medical usage, including treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and alcoholism. However, its status as a Schedule I controlled substance in the Convention on Psychotropic Substances limits availability of the drug to researchers. Because of this, very few studies concerning mescaline's activity and potential therapeutic effects in humans have been conducted since the early 1970s".
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8033766/
"We administered an anonymous online questionnaire to adults (N = 452) reporting use of mescaline in naturalistic settings about mental health benefits attributed to mescaline. We assessed respondents’ self-reported improvements in depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol and drug use disorders (AUD and DUD). Of the respondents reporting histories of these clinical conditions, most (68–86%) reported subjective improvement following their most memorable mescaline experience. Respondents who reported an improvement in their psychiatric conditions reported significantly higher ratings of acute psychological factors including mystical-type, psychological insight, and ego dissolution effects compared to those who did not report improvements (Cohen’s d range 0.7 – 1.5). Many respondents (35–50%) rated the mescaline experience as the single or top five most spiritually significant or meaningful experience(s) of their lives. Acute experiences of psychological insight during their mescaline experience were associated with increased odds of reporting improvement in depression, anxiety, AUD and DUD. Additional research is needed to corroborate these preliminary findings and to rigorously examine the efficacy of mescaline for psychiatric treatment in controlled, longitudinal clinical trials".
https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/09/could-lsd-treat-alcoholism/
""Given the evidence for a beneficial effect of LSD on alcoholism, it is puzzling why this treatment approach has been largely overlooked," Krebs and Johansen wrote. They added that other studies found that the psychedelic effects of other substances, such as mescaline, psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms) and ayahuasca were "highly valued and beneficial," and indigenous groups have claimed that ayahuasca and peyote helped them stay sober".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xj0wk7iH4w
// Psilocybin Induces Long Lasting Modifications to Brain Connections
By a neuroscientist (ignore the idea of 'Appeal to Authority', consider it as a "trust increase" instead).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-MeO-DMT
"A 2019 European study with 42 volunteers showed that a single inhalation produced sustained enhancement of satisfaction with life, and easing of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A 2018 study demonstrated that a single dose of 5-MeO-DMT induced neurogenesis in mice".
All studies about psychedelics are very positive...
Also, neurogenesis again...
Wiki references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurogenesis
"Substance-induced neurogenesis
An in vitro and in vivo study found that DMT present in the ayahuasca infusion promotes neurogenesis on the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. A study showed that a low dose (0.1 mg/kg) of psilocybin given to mice increased neurogenesis in the hippocampus 2 weeks after administration, while a high dose (1 mg/kg) significantly decreased neurogenesis. No orally-available drugs are known to elicit neurogenesis outside of the already neurogenic niches".
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772408522010134
// Microdosing with psychedelics to self-medicate for ADHD symptoms in adults: A prospective naturalistic study
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRStW_Cnaps
// Psilocybin vs Antidepressant - Are Magic Mushrooms the Cure for Depression?
A video by a neuroscientist. The video does not conclude anything, but gives studies that shows the potential and is very optimistic.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206443
// Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression
"reduced depression scores significantly more than a 1-mg dose over a period of 3 weeks but was associated with adverse effects. Larger and longer trials, including comparison with existing treatments, are required to determine the efficacy and safety of psilocybin for this disorder".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ3_GUilpnk
// Neuroscience JUST Did the IMPOSSIBLE
In this video it talks about the power of psilocybin to repair the brain and to break addiction, depression and etc.
ABOUT THE PROCESSES OF THE EFFECTS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi66wFfOC-4
Check this video, it is a talking with neuroscientists, psychologists and etc...
It explain the process of the brain and how can it be beneficial as a treatment against depression.
MEDICAL CASES:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=534_esaU6YU
// O PREÇO DA CURA: até onde você iria para salvar sua família? (cannabis medicinal)
Sadly, in portuguese, but talks about how cannabis is the only viable option to deal with a child with high level autism.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cannabis-for-infants-brai_n_2224898
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMNzRTEjoyA
// Could Psychedelics Be The Cure For Depression?
A video debating some sources about its usefulness and having arguments about such benefits. The video is not a scientific video, but deal with scientific resources.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slSLLJbeo3Y
// War On DRUGS or A War On the MIND?
A video debating if the war on drugs is not a government conspiracy to control our body and our mind. If psychedelics are a good tool to make one awake about political psychological warfare, wouldn't it be a good reason to prohibit and vilanize it? The video also contains some scientific references to base the arguments.
I don't agree with some "hippie-like" ideas presented in the video, especially things like "Gaya" and stuff. I'm a very technological person and i think technology is part of nature, i dislike this "contact with nature" mentality, this does not mean i don't care about mercury in the fish i eat or microplastics, neither that i claim that there is no benefit in certain deemed "natural activities", that is obvious, i just think it is grossly exaggerated and there is tons of benefits in a supposedly "artificial life" or whatever people say about accepting technology (i'm a technology accelerationist, by the way).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWRnzPddYA
// The Magic of Mushrooms - A Psilocybin Renaissance
A video explaining the benefits of mushrooms, both in scientific terms and also some spiritual terms. However, the video is more focused in the psychological debate, the video is more a "food for thought" and for people that already agree with it, but may be useful for people that are also curious and may make people that dislike psychedelics think about it.
As a Christian, i disagree with some spiritual ideas, but people of any religion can agree with this video if we consider the condensation of the concept.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7r99gzdgNA
This is a music video, but they added some research studies in the video at 3:48... You can ignore this video, but i think it is cool to also add it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eqiujsbxXw
// RUN FROM THE CURE - Full Version
A documentary about a guy that got cured from cancer using cannabis oil, then later began to offer to other people that got cured by it. He wanted to push it to medical authorities, but got denied.
TAKE IN MIND: This video does not prove cannabis cure cancer, i'm not here to say that. I just want to show cases for you to think about it! But it does have evidences of cannabis being useful to cancer treatment.