Many studies have found that people who use psychedelics are more likely to have pro-environmental behavior and ecology beliefs when compared to other people. A recent study by the University of Oregon found that people who took psychedelics were more likely to recycle, donate money to environmental organisations, buy products with less plastic packaging, or use public transportation. The results were not just because of the drugs themselves but also because of the spiritual experiences they create.
Over the last two decades, there has been a gradual political shift, towards a resurgence of psychedelic research, culminating in the first experimental study involving LSD administration in 40 years. First and foremost, many of these new research programs focus on clinical applications of psychedelic substances in the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. Although oftentimes limited to small sample sizes, preliminary results of these studies indicate that administration of psychedelics can considerably benefit psychotherapeutic interventions, revealing a marked reduction of anxiety in patients who suffer from various life-threatening conditions.
One common experience encountered by many during the neuroplastic state induced by psychedelics is a profound feeling of connectedness or unity—a presumed consequence of a loss of self-awareness or ego-dissolution. This manifests in a sense of connectedness with all living beings, certain plants and animals, or nature as a whole.
References
- Manifesting Minds: A Review of Psychedelics in Science, Medicine, Sex, and Spirituality. Doblin, Rick; Brad Burge (2014) North Atlantic Books. ISBN 1583947272.
- ↑ Lifetime experience with (classic) psychedelics predicts pro-environmental behavior through an increase in nature relatedness. Matthias Forstmann and Christina Sagioglou Journal of Psychopharmacology 2017. DOI: 10.1177/0269881117714049
- ↑ From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner. Hannes Kettner, Sam Gandy, Eline C. H. M. Haijen and Robin L. Carhart-Harris Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Published: December 2019 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16245147
