When psychedelics leave a mark: HPPD, bad trips and spiritual narcissism
Johns Hopkins researcher Matthew Johnson says the lasting harms of psychedelics are real but uncommon and concentrated in unscreened, unsupervised use, and Andrew Callaghan, who has lived with HPPD since one mushroom trip in eighth grade, shows what the rare case costs. Rick Strassman and Andrew Huberman add risks of a different kind, inflated egos and deaths at clinics, while Post Malone's lasting bad reaction came from cannabis and he credits mushrooms with lifting his depression.
What two main dangers of psychedelics does Matthew Johnson name? Show answer
Destabilizing people prone to psychosis or mania, and bad trips that can turn deadly outside a safe setting.
Whom do Johnson's trials screen out? Show answer
People with psychotic or bipolar disorders, or a predisposition to them, plus those with close relatives who have these conditions.
How common is strong fear in Johnson's lab at around 30 mg of psilocybin? Show answer
About a third of participants report a period of strong anxiety or fear, even under ideal conditions.
What is HPPD, and how rare does Johnson say it is? Show answer
HPPD is lasting halos, trails and color distortions that cause distress. Johnson calls it real but rare and says it has never been seen in thousands of research participants.
Why does Johnson suspect HPPD reflects a neurological susceptibility? Show answer
It has been reported after alcohol, cannabis, benzodiazepines or tobacco in people who never took a psychedelic.
How did Andrew Callaghan's HPPD begin? Show answer
He took what he calls a normal amount of mushrooms in eighth grade and woke up the next day with visual distortions that never went away.
What harmful coping did Callaghan fall into? Show answer
Alcohol eased his visual symptoms, and by 14 or 15 he was drinking a 40-ounce malt liquor every day after school.
What does Callaghan advise others with HPPD to remember? Show answer
That it is only visual, and every other sense still tells you that you are here.
What is spiritual narcissism, according to Rick Strassman? Show answer
It is when people who touch something divine start projecting that they themselves are divine, and begin instructing and organizing others.
Why does Johnson worry about taking psychedelics frequently for years? Show answer
Most common psychedelics activate the serotonin 2B receptor, which has been linked to heart valve problems.
What cautions does Huberman raise despite being a fan of psychedelic therapy? Show answer
He points to therapist misconduct with vulnerable patients and to two ibogaine clinic deaths that may correlate with prior fentanyl use.
How long should you wait to make big life decisions after a session, according to Johnson? Show answer
A couple of weeks.