Psychedelics May Boost Connectedness with Nature
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A new study has looked into how therapeutic psychedelic administration combined with the calm properties of nature-based settings has the capacity to improve an individual’s mental well-being as well as bolster their relationship with nature. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College in London. Its findings were reported in “Health Psychology.”
Contact with nature and the therapeutic administration of psychedelics has been linked to similar psychological mechanisms, including amplified states of transcendent experiences and awe, increased psychological connectedness and reduced rumination, which are all processes associated with improvements in mental health among both healthy and clinical populations. In today’s societies, however, feeling connected with nature is on the decline as biophobia, which is the fear of nature, increases.
The study’s lead, Sam Gandy, stated that there were major inequalities in access to opportunities to connect with nature, noting that the loss of biodiversity and the overuse of electronic technologies helped fan the flames of the disconnect with nature.
Prior studies have suggested that more contact with nature and the use of therapeutic psychedelics may be effective in the treatment of some psychological disorders. For instance, research has found that greater contact with nature can decrease depression and stress. Other studies also suggest that psychedelics can help manage existential anxiety brought on by a terminal illness diagnosis, as well as major depressive disorder.
The researchers theorize that contact with nature and psychedelics may improve an individual’s psychological well-being through one’s sense of connectedness. For example, people who harbor strong feelings of isolation or disconnection have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with depression, bipolar personality disorder or eating disorders.
Gandy added that psychedelic therapy had also shown promise in the treatment of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, existential anxiety and major depression, noting that most of the current treatments used to treat these conditions weren’t as effective. In addition, he noted that unlike clinical settings. which were secure and easily controlled, natural settings were more uncontrolled and unpredictable. However, he continued, this didn’t mean that elements of nature couldn’t be brought into the clinical setting when psychedelics were administered.
The researchers hope to, in the future, find ways to combine the benefits of being in contact with nature and therapeutic psychedelics in a controllable way. Furthermore, they also plan to look into the potential of psychedelics in influencing people’s creativity.
Many other entities, including Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) (FSE: ONFA), are pursuing other lines of research on psychedelics, so we can look forward to a better understanding of how these compounds can be used to address many of the ailments that afflict members of society.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Mydecine Innovations Group Inc. (NEO: MYCO) (OTC: MYCOF) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MYCOF
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