Can Psychedelic Therapy Reset Our Social Media Brains?

When you look at the world, it can feel like we're in a
precarious moment. If you’ve listened to past episodes, you know
we call this the meta-crisis — an era of overlapping and
interconnected crises like climate change, polarization, and the
rise of decentralized technologies like synthetic biology. It can
feel like we’re on a path to destroy ourselves.


That's why we’re talking to Rick Doblin, the founder and
executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for
Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS. They’re a nonprofit focused on
educating and researching the benefits of using psychedelic
therapy to address PTSD and promote humane ways of relating
worldwide.


Doblin’s vision is for nothing less than a transformation of
society through psychedelic-assisted therapy – not for the drugs
themselves, but for their ability to help us react to one another
with compassion, appreciate differences, and accept
criticism.

Given the perma-crisis we face, it’s provocative to think about a
tool that, when prescribed and used safely, could help us
overcome rivalrous dynamics out in the world and on social media.
If we rescue our hijacked brains, we can heal from the constant
trauma inflation we get online, and shrink the perception gap
that splits us into tribes.


Both MAPS and Center for Humane Technology want to understand
what helps minds heal and be free. We invite you to keep an open
mind about a different kind of humane technology as you listen to
this episode. 

Correction: 


Doblin attributes a quote to Stan Grof about psychedelics helping
your ego be “transparent to the transcendent.” In his book
Pathways to Bliss, Joseph Campbell wrote, "When a deity
serves as a model for you, your life becomes transparent to the
transcendent as long as you realize the inspiring power of that
deity. This means living not in the name of worldly success and
achievement, but rather in the name of the transcendent, letting
the energy manifest through you.” Grof was likely paraphrasing
Campbell’s work and applying it to psychedelics. 


Additional credits:


The episode contains an original musical composition by Jeff
Sudakin. Used with permission.


 


RECOMMENDED MEDIA 


Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)


The non-profit founded by Rick Doblin in 1986 focused on
developing medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to
benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS
has some open clinical trials; see details on their
website. 


Rick Doblin’s TED talk


In this fascinating dive into the science of psychedelics, Doblin
explains how drugs like LSD, psilocybin and MDMA affect your
brain - and shows how, when paired with psychotherapy, they could
change the way we treat PTSD, depression, substance abuse and
more.


How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan


Pollan writes of his own consciousness-expanding experiments with
psychedelic drugs, and makes the case for why shaking up the
brain's old habits could be therapeutic for people facing
addiction, depression, or death.


How to Change Your Mind on Netflix


The docuseries version of Pollan’s book


Breath by James Nestor


This popular science book provides a historical, scientific and
personal account of breathing, with special focus on the
differences between mouth breathing and nasal breathing.


Insight timer


A free app for sleep, anxiety, and stress


 


RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES 


You Will Never Breathe the Same Again with James Nestor


https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/38-you-will-never-breathe-the-same-again


Two Million Years in Two Hours: A Conversation with Yuval Noah
Harari 


https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/28-two-million-years-in-two-hours-a-conversation-with-yuval-noah-harari


Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for
Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_