This SciShow episode talks about the possibilities that hallucinogens may have medical value. Psilocybin, the active compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, is being discovered as a very effective treatment for diseases of consciousness like anxiety and depression.
So these treatments seem to allow patients to actually experience and think about things differently rather than just medicating their symptoms… And this might help explain why the positive effects of all these studies have been found to last for weeks, even months in ways that a simple mind-numbing drug could never do.
Scientific research into the medical value of hallucinogens should be encouraged based on the evidence presented in this video alone. The Scientific community has seen the potential medical value, and restricting further research only stagnates progress of treating mental illness.
