College Students and LSD - An Overlooked Opportunity to Hack the Brain and Improve it?

[fluffybiscuits]

That's a myth, fluffy. There was never a belief in Europe that the earth is flat. Even if you stand on a hill and look at the horizon you can see it is round.

http://mythverse.com/2011/07/16/flat-earth/

In psychiatry, I thought that talk therapies in general did much better for people than drugs.

I learn something new every day!

[Kev Bar]

As Robert's gaffe was for the visions, I'm told MDMA was for the guff.

[smiles]

In psychiatry, I thought that talk therapies in general did much better for people than drugs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Grof

Stanislav Grof (born July 1, 1931 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a psychiatrist, one of the founders of the field of transpersonal psychology and a pioneering researcher into the use of non-ordinary states of consciousness for purposes of exploring, healing, and obtaining growth and insights into the human psyche. Grof received the VISION 97 award granted by the Foundation of Dagmar and Václav Havel in Prague on October 5, 2007.

[fluffybiscuits]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Grof

What microscope is to biology, LSD is to psychiatry,I like this guy

[Sam Lord]

What microscope is to biology, LSD is to psychiatry,I like this guy

I really think you should stop promoting the stuff when you are not prepared to take it yourself. It creates a serious credibility issue.

[fluffybiscuits]

I really think you should stop promoting the stuff when you are not prepared to take it yourself. It creates a serious credibility issue.

Ah but I did outline why I would not take it. I advocated students or someone else take it while under the guidance of a medical profession. I wouldnt take it as I reckon I could be predisposed to some sort of mental illness considering Im easily stressed sometimes others out there are not. Besides since when did I have credibility?

[Sam Lord]

Ah but I did outline why I would not take it. I advocated students or someone else take it while under the guidance of a medical profession. I wouldnt take it as I reckon I could be predisposed to some sort of mental illness considering Im easily stressed sometimes others out there are not. Besides since when did I have credibility?

So you wont take it because you fear its consequences for your mental health but you think others should experiment.

Nice.

[Spectabilis]

Ah but I did outline why I would not take it. I advocated students or someone else take it while under the guidance of a medical profession. I wouldnt take it as I reckon I could be predisposed to some sort of mental illness considering Im easily stressed sometimes others out there are not. Besides since when did I have credibility?

Ah fluffy. What are you thinking? Students?
Roma, Jews, gays, soldiers, prison inmates, twins? I know you would never put these people on a list. Stop and think man.

And as for the guidance of the medical profession, remember there were always medics in charge of this 'research' in the past.

[fluffybiscuits]

So you wont take it because you fear its consequences for your mental health but you think others should experiment.

Nice.

I said under medical supervision and voluntarily. Its like signing up for the army, you sign up and its voluntary, they check to see if you are fit enough for it. Quit painting me out to be some sort of idiot Sam thanks

Ah fluffy. What are you thinking? Students?
Roma, Jews, gays, soldiers, prison inmates, twins? I know you would never put these people on a list. Stop and think man.

And as for the guidance of the medical profession, remember there were always medics in charge of this 'research' in the past.

OK I know , I was looking at it from a liberal angle, not as guinea pigs , far from it but as a way of building a foundaton for a better society. You are right though, doctors to and have and will make mistakes, you are right Spectabilis, I cant disagree with you. I just wanted to open up new avenues for people to think laterally .

[Spectabilis]

OK I know , I was looking at it from a liberal angle, not as guinea pigs , far from it but as a way of building a foundaton for a better society. You are right though, doctors to and have and will make mistakes, you are right Spectabilis, I cant disagree with you. I just wanted to open up new avenues for people to think laterally .

I know that was your intention. And you certainly got some lateral thinking going here.

[Ephilant]

far from it but as a way of building a foundaton for a better society.

You don't build a better society by creating a drug-induced reality. You do it by changing society...

[Kev Bar]

You don't build a better society by creating a drug-induced reality. You do it by changing society...

Ah the weather, plunging in the ocean, fine food and all held together by a kind of dumbed down Californian sheen of bliss from the finest of "medically" grown marijuana.

Sort of thing that would have you shouting: Find me an illness now!

[Ephilant]

Ah the weather, plunging in the ocean, fine food and all held together by a kind of dumbed down Californian sheen of bliss from the finest of "medically" grown marijuana.

Sort of thing that would have you shouting: Find me an illness now!

I would much rather enjoy it in its full, raw glory. Dumbing it down spoils the fun...

[Ogiol]

You don't build a better society by creating a drug-induced reality. You do it by changing society...

... and changing society is done through thinking and ideas and general thought process. i think its well established that some naturally occouring chemicals can help us use our brains in different ways and to look at things from a completely different perspective. without hte lazy side effects of MaryJane!
Ive read some interesting books which maintain that it was the consumption of mushrooms that led to the development of our superior human brains!!!

I know a lot of ppl who voluntarily participate in these experiments every friday and saturday nite! Not too into the oul research tho they're not

[C. Flower]

... and changing society is done through thinking and ideas and general thought process. i think its well established that some naturally occouring chemicals can help us use our brains in different ways and to look at things from a completely different perspective. without hte lazy side effects of MaryJane!
Ive read some interesting books which maintain that it was the consumption of mushrooms that led to the development of our superior human brains!!!

I know a lot of ppl who voluntarily participate in these experiments every friday and saturday nite! Not too into the oul research tho they're not

I'm sure that there are some positive effects from mood or perception altering drugs or people would not keep taking them, risking life, brain cells and liberty in the process.

There are also serious negative effects and the addictiveness of some drugs can lock people in to those negative effects.

But is there seriously any evidence that any of them can improve the brain?

The human brain is the result of millions of years of evolution, interacting with its environment.

How could a pill improve on it ?