Society Uncensored | What's the story behind psychedelics?

"Bicycle Day.” That is the term used to describe the "trip" taken by the first person to try LSD. Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist, discovered the properties of lysergic acid diethylamide in 1943, five years after synthesizing it in his lab in Basel, Switzerland. During the first test in the laboratory, he began to notice changes in his perception and asked his assistant to accompany him home by bicycle. On the way, he experienced temperature changes and feelings of stress and fear. But then he felt an unusual sense of euphoria. Colors became brighter, shapes changed forms around him, and his mood improved. The doctor who examined him found no physical abnormalities.

Psychedelics have a long history. There is a theory, which is most likely incorrect, that psilocybin ingested from mushrooms caused monkey brains to evolve into human brains. Studies claim that the key ingredient which was used to induce ecstasy during the Eleusinian Mysteries was an ancient LSD-like drink. Shamanic rituals in North and Latin America connected the spirit and earthly worlds, forming religious ties that shaped the region's cultures. There are also records of psychedelic use in eastern Asia, where they are thought to aid in communication with the "metaphysical" world.

But in America, things were different. LSD was first used by the military to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in soldiers after World War II. The CIA then used it in a variety of mind control experiments, causing many people to have psychotic episodes. LSD is introduced to the younger generation in the mid-1950s, when former banker R. Gordon Wasson visits Mexico and discovers the effect of "magic mushrooms," which he then popularizes in a series of articles.

Hippies and the anti-war movement became associated with psychedelics, and the "psychedelic" movement influenced the arts. At the same time, members of the scientific community speak out about the importance of conducting systematic research into the use of psychedelics and the treatment they can provide for mental illnesses. Suddenly, a fear campaign against LSD and psilocybin puts everything on hold, allowing cocaine and heroin to dominate the streets and decimate the younger generation.

Cut. We are now transported to 2024 and the latest discussion in the new Society Uncensored series. What is the state of psychedelics today? Are they safe? What dangers does their use present? How did we get from myths about "dragons" and "flying men from the rooftops" to academic research into anxiety, depression, and trauma treatments? How does a "means" of communicating with the spirit world turn into a corporate trick meant to boost creativity—microdosing? Is it reasonable to think that if there are larger communities of "psychonauts," the world will be a better place in an era that values the individual?

In a debate that is more topical than ever, psychologists, psychotherapists, pharmacologists, sociologists, philosophers, anthropologists, and artists will attempt to provide answers and raise new questions.