The Science of Psychedelics for Mental Health | Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris

In this episode, my guest is Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD,
distinguished professor of neurology and psychiatry at the
University of California, San Francisco. He is one of leading
researchers in the study of how psychedelics such as psilocybin,
LSD and DMT can change the human brain and in doing so, be used to
successfully treat various mental health challenges such as major
depression, anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and
addiction. He explains how psilocybin induces sustained changes in
adaptive brain wiring and cognition. We discuss the key components
of safe and effective psychedelic journeys, the role of
hallucinations, the use of eye-masks to encourage people to “go
internal,” and music, as well as what effective therapist support
consists of before, during and after the session (also known as
integration). We discuss micodosing vs. macrodosing and how
researchers control for placebo effects in psychedelic research. We
also discuss the current legal landscape around psychedelic
therapies. Psychedelic therapies are fast emerging as powerful and
soon-to-be mainstream treatments for medical health disorders, but
they are not without their risks. As such, this episode ought to be
of use to anyone interested in brain plasticity, mental health,
psychology or neuroscience. For the full show notes, visit
hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1:
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https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Robin
Carhart-Harris (00:02:28) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:05:41)
The Brain-Body Contract (00:06:31) Origin of the Word:
“Psychedelics”; Pharmacology (00:12:05) Psychedelics &
Revealing the Unconscious Mind, Psychotherapy (00:17:32)
Microdosing (00:26:08) Psilocybin vs. Magic Mushroom Doses
(00:28:28) “Psychedelic-Therapy”, Music (00:31:13) Sponsor: AG1
(00:36:26) Psychedelic Journey: “Trust, Let Go, Be Open” (00:43:01)
Negative Emotions, Fear & Psychedelics (00:46:21) Global
Functional Connectivity, Serotonin 2A Receptor; Subjective
Experiences (00:52:33) Pharmacology: Therapeutics without
Psychedelic Effects; SSRIs (00:58:45) Psilocybin & Depression;
Long-Term Effects: Connectivity & Neuroplasticity (01:10:26)
Psilocybin Therapy & Anorexia (01:12:56) Integration Phase
& Psychedelic-Therapy; Meditation (01:19:50) First-Time
Psychedelic Use, “Entropic Brain Effect”, Neuroplasticity,
Cognition (01:30:16) Fibromyalgia & Psychedelic Treatment; MDMA
Therapy & “Inner Healer” (01:38:55) Placebo Response &
Psychedelic Therapy (01:41:39) LSD & Psychedelic-Therapy,
Micro-Dose (01:48:19) Combination Psilocybin-MDMA Therapy
(01:56:06) DMT “Rocketship” & Serotonin 2A Receptors; Ibogaine
(02:01:04) “Ego Dissolution”, Cocaine vs. Psychedelics; Relapses
(02:12:26) Psychedelics & Legal Landscape; Decriminalization
(02:17:54) MDMA, Trauma & Clinical Trials; Future Regulatory
(FDA) Approval? (02:23:25) Psilocybin & Current Clinical Trials
(02:28:41) Mental Health & Psychedelic Treatment, Safeguards,
Paradigm Shift (02:34:39) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback,
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