446: The Science of Psychedelics (& Why I Took Drugs) With Ted Achacoso

Published: May 24, 2021, 11 a.m.

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Welcome back to Ted Achacoso, one of the smartest doctors and human beings on the planet, for the second part of last week\\u2019s episode. In our first interview, we talked about consciousness, suffering, ego, and a lot of other topics related to that. Today we take it a step further into some controversial waters, the substances called psychedelics and their possibilities from a medical and neurological perspective.

I would encourage you to listen to this episode with an open mind, not only because you\\u2019re hearing from one of the smartest people in the world, but because these substances, while often misunderstood, have truly life-changing potential. I know this firsthand from my own experience with several of them, which were instrumental in healing some personal trauma in my past.

Episode Highlights With Dr. Ted Achacoso

  • What ketamine is and how it can be used therapeutically
  • How ketamine can do a DNM reset
  • The way ketamine inhibits the inhibitor by taking away from the task positive network
  • How psychedelics calm the default mode network to allow for emotional recovery
  • How the 5HT2a receptor affects mood and why these substances can be a great alternative to other depression medications
  • What psilocybin, DMT, and MDMA are and how they affect the brain, body, and consciousness
  • How psychedelics are to the mind what a telescope is to astronomy and a microscope is to biology
  • \\u201cMeditation is like a mental gym and psychedelics are like steroids for your mental gym\\u201d
  • What psychedelic therapy is and how it is being used in research for things like PTSD
  • The research happening at Johns Hopkins
  • How they are so safe that we can say that no one has actually died from certain psychedelics
  • Why psychedelics are by their nature non-addicting
  • Who should be very cautious or not use psychedelics
  • The importance of being in therapy when considering using these substances (and the importance of integration after)
  • Important safety notes related to all of these substances
  • The science of how psychedelics affect and can benefit the body too!
  • Why ketamine has been approved for treatment-resistant depression (and where to find it)
  • And more!

Resources We Mention

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