When I was a child growing up in Mexico, drugs were not a recreational pastime with the people with whom I associated. Yes, there was alcohol, tobacco, and pot, but hard drugs were simply an export to the intoxicated North. Other than some traditional medicines such as peyote and mushrooms, which were the property of shamans and other indigenous people, psychedelics, as they eventually came to be called, were unknown to me....CONTINUE READING
However, the reality is that these substances have been part of medicine for thousands of years. Even Western medicine was deep into the study of these substances before the United States and many other countries deemed them illegal. Many years later, they are making a comeback, and some say they might even be the future of mental health treatments.
The intersection of psychedelics and psychiatry is a fascinating journey through time, marked by both promising breakthroughs and societal stigmatization. From ancient rituals to cutting-edge therapeutic practices, the history of psychedelics in psychiatry is a tale of discovery, controversy, and the pursuit of mental well-being. This article delves into the roots of psychedelics, their historical significance, and their resurgence in modern psychiatric treatments.
by Lauro Amezcua-Patino, MD, FAPA.
Ancient Roots and Spiritual Connection
Psychedelics have a rich history deeply intertwined with various cultures and spiritual practices. Ancient civilizations, such as the Aztecs and Mayans, used substances like psilocybin-containing mushrooms and peyote cacti in religious ceremonies, believing these substances facilitated communication with the divine.
Long before psychedelics became subjects of scientific inquiry, they were revered as sacred substances, deeply intertwined with the spiritual practices of ancient civilizations. The historical use of psychedelics in religious and shamanic rituals dates back thousands of years, spanning across cultures and continents.
Indigenous cultures across the Americas, Africa, and Asia have a rich history of…
