The Reemergence Of Psychedelic Medicine For Anxiety, Depression, and End-of-Life Care

Jun 3, 2022

Dr. Anthony Bossis, a clinical psychologist and NYU faculty member researching psychedelics, joins spiritual teacher Rameshwar Das to discuss the revival of psychedelic therapy. They delve into how psychedelics can address anxiety and depression, revealing their neurobiological effects and historical context. The conversation highlights the importance of the right environment for therapeutic use and the profound personal transformations these substances can encourage, emphasizing interconnectedness and emotional healing, particularly for those facing end-of-life challenges.

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ANECDOTE

Set and Setting Matters

Dr. Hyman highlights the importance of set and setting in psychedelic experiences.
He emphasizes that taking these drugs at a party is different from a therapeutic setting.

ADVICE

Letting Go

During a psychedelic experience, let go and embrace the unfolding changes in consciousness.
Avoiding or trying to control it can lead to panic or anxiety.

ANECDOTE

A Day of Introspection

In the cancer study, patients spent the day on a couch with eye shades and headphones.
Classical music played to guide their inner journey, encouraging introspection.

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This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens and Rupa Health.

Psychedelics have gotten a bad rap. Often associated with the small period of time they became popular in the 1960s, they were researched in clinical, cultural, and spiritual contexts for many decades prior to that. Now we are seeing an uptick in the interest of drugs like this, which include compounds like psilocybin from certain species of mushrooms, for therapeutic uses. Trials are finding amazing effects on anxiety, depression, PTSD, and fear of death by using psychedelics in a responsible and highly controlled environment.

In today’s episode, I talk with Dr. Anthony Bossis, Michael Pollan, and Rameshwar Das about the neurobiology of psychedelics, how they can help to shift mindset, and the story of Ram Dass.

Anthony P. Bossis, PhD, conducts FDA-approved clinical trials in the reemerging field of psychedelic research. He is a clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, where he investigates the effects of psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound found in specific species of mushrooms.

Michael Pollan is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Cooked, Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Botany of Desire, How to Change Your Mind, and This Is Your Mind on Plants.

Rameshwar Das has been navigating a spiritual path for 50 years. Ramesh met Ram Dass in 1968 and spent time with Neem Karoli Baba in India from 1970–72. He learned Vipassana meditation from Goenka in India. Ramesh has worked as an artist, photographer, environmentalist, and writer. He has collaborated on many projects with Ram Dass over the years, including the original Be Here Now and the Love Serve Remember recordings, and he has coauthored three books with Ram Dass: Be Love Now, Polishing the Mirror, and Being Ram Dass.

This episode is brought to you by Athletic Greens and Rupa Health.

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Full-length episodes of these interviews can be found here:

Dr. Anthony Bossis

Michael Pollan

Rameshwar Das