Shamans, Sacraments, and Psychiatrists
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1989 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.1989.10472149 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mescaline Psilocybin Shamanism |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Psychotomimetic Unconscious mind Psychoanalytic theory Psychotherapist Psychoanalysis |
| Citations | 38 |
| Key findings | Three paradigms for psychedelic use in psychiatry are reviewed: psychotomimetic, psycholytic, and psychedelic; the psychotomimetic approach proved limited, while the psychedelic paradigm alienated many psychiatrists. |
Abstract
This article reviews the role of psychedelic drugs as potential tools for psychiatric research and practice. The decline in the utilization of these substances is linked to social reactions, which led to psychedelics being scheduled as controlled substances and consequently unavailable for human research. Three different paradigms for the use of psychedelics in psychiatry are reviewed: the psychotomimetic, the psycholytic, and the psychedelic approaches. The psychotomimetic paradigm, which viewed hallucinogens as agents for temporarily inducing psychoses, proved to be of limited value to the understanding and treatment of mental illness. The psycholytic approach, which was derived from the psychoanalytic paradigm, is a technique employing low doses of psychedelic drugs to reduce psychological defenses and to release unconscious information. The high-dose psychedelic paradigm frequently produced reports of mystical or spiritual experiences, thus recasting the psychiatrist as the modern-day shaman. This paradigm has alienated many in the psychiatric profession and has led to a reaction against the use of psychedelics in psychotherapy. If the opportunity should arise to pursue sanctioned clinical research with these unique psychoactive substances, however, it will be imperative to learn from the traditional models of shamanic healers in order to optimally assess true clinical efficacy and safety.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways | 2017 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens in Mental Health: Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine | 2020 | Review | |
| Legal highs: staying on top of the flood of novel psychoactive substances | 2015 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease February 1, 1996
- Developing Guidelines and Competencies for the Training of Psychedelic Therapists Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 29, 2017
- Altered States of Consciousness and Short-Term Psychological After-Effects Induced by the First Time Ritual Use of Ayahuasca in an Urban Context in Brazil Journal of Psychoactive Drugs June 1, 2005
- The Use of Hallucinogens in the Treatment of Addiction Addiction Research & Theory 1996
- Psilocybin in neuropsychiatry: a review of its pharmacology, safety, and efficacy CNS Spectrums July 11, 2022
and 15 more in the library
Cites 8
- ADVERSE REACTIONS TO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease October 1, 1984
- Can Drugs Be Used to Enhance the Psychotherapeutic Process? American Journal of Psychotherapy July 1, 1986
- On the Use and Abuse of LSD Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1968
- LSD and Psychotherapy Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1985
- LSD: The Varieties of Psychotic Experience Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 1, 1985
and 3 more in the library