‘Higher State of Consciousness’ From Psychedelics Is Not Just A … – TheFix.com

Anyone whos had a spiritual experience on psychedelic drugsbe it magic mushrooms, acid, mescaline, etc.can relate to the feeling of breaking through, and transcending ones ego and the pettiness that we tend to get caught up with in day-to-day life.

Some call it a higher state of consciousnesswhich, to those those who arent familiar with this experience, may sound like a load of hippy-dippy BS.

But its more than thatpsychedelic substances really do cause the brain to enter this higher state, according to a new study by a team of UK scientists.

[A higher state of consciousness] has a very specific meaning in terms of this study, and that meaning can get a little conflated with the hippy idea of a higher state of consciousness and psychedelic drugs, study author Anil Seth of the University of Sussex told Newsweek.

In their study, Seth and his team sought to measure the mathematical diversity of brain activityin other words, how unpredictable the activity of the brain is, Seth explained.

Researchers studied the brain activity of people given LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and ketamine.

When someone is unconsciouswhether theyre asleep or sedatedthis is thought of as a lower state of consciousness. Seth and his team guessed that brain activity would become more diverse, or unpredictable, in someone experiencing the opposite of thatand they were right.

This study brings psychedelic research a step closer to understanding just how substances like these can have a therapeutic effect for people struggling with depression, schizophrenia, and other mental health issues.

If we can understand the brain basis of hallucinations then well understand a lot more about hallucinationsand not just about psychedelia but also schizophrenia and other conditions, said Seth. Well also understand a lot more about how our visual experiences in the normal world happen.

Some doctors already use ketamine in a psychotherapeutic setting. The drug has been shown to be effective in treating depression, PTSD, and other conditions, according to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).

As for psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, research from scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University have found it to be an effective tool for treating depression and anxiety in terminally ill individuals.

By studying the changes in brain activity caused by these drugs, we are gaining a better understanding of what exactly is happening in a persons brain as their consciousness is expanding.

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'Higher State of Consciousness' From Psychedelics Is Not Just A ... - TheFix.com