This chapter examines how psychoactive substances shape hallucinations by acting on perception, prediction and meaning-making rather than “creating” experiences from nothing. It contrasts the hallucinatory styles of classic psychedelics, stimulants and dissociative drugs, linking their neurochemical effects to characteristic changes in vision, sound, body experience and selfhood. The discussion...
Opioid dependence is a public health concern in New Zealand, with limited treatment options beyond opioid substitution therapy (OST). Ibogaine, a psychoactive alkaloid with reported anti-withdrawal and anti-craving effects for opioid dependence, is legally available by prescription in New Zealand, offering a context for exploring user experiences. A qualitative collective case study design was...
This chapter examines the essential role of personal experience in psychedelic therapy, through a raw and reflective account of the author’s first Ayahuasca ceremony. It illustrates how direct experience with psychedelics can become a profound source of clinical wisdom over time. Drawing on Bateson’s systemic theories and the Taoist concept of “no-mind,” the author explores how psychedelic...
This study aims to examine Islamic mindfulness-based healing techniques, analyze their roles, mechanisms of spiritual recovery, and the spiritual transformation of former drug addicts, as well as explore their contribution to a comprehensive rehabilitation model implemented at Pesantren Al Ghazali Kediri. This research employs a qualitative method with a case study design. Data collection...
Many people use cannabis to self-medicate for pain. Little is known about the impact of pain on tolerance and spontaneous withdrawal to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. Our previous research with the opioid morphine suggests persistent pain will increase the magnitude and duration of THC withdrawal. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were...
Psychedelic drugs are serotonergic hallucinogens that can be divided into two types: naturally occurring (psilocybin, psilocin, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine) and synthetic (LSD, MDMA, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, and ketamine). Psychedelics generally work on 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors and might be useful in cognitive enhancement, brain connectivity, neuroplasticity, and neuronal...
Polysubstance use involving psychostimulants and opioids is increasingly prevalent and associated with elevated overdose risk, relapse vulnerability, and poor treatment outcomes. However, the neurobehavioral consequences of opioid-stimulant use remain poorly understood. We evaluated whether repeated methamphetamine-fentanyl polysubstance treatment disrupts social preference during withdrawal,...
Objectives: The psychometric properties of the Spanish versions of the Quiet Ego Scale (QES), the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment (NADA), and the Ontological Addiction Scale (OAS‑24) were examined. Methods: The analyzed sample was composed of 242 adults from the Spanish general population. Factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity were tested, along with...
Background Methamphetamine (MA) addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder that impairs physical health, induces mental distress (e.g., anxiety), and triggers abnormal inflammatory and neurotransmitter responses, all contributing to high relapse rates. Mindfulness and yoga interventions may alleviate psychological distress and improve physical well-being in substance users; however, few studies...
Abstract Background Contemporary research indicates that psychedelics induce notable neurophysiological changes, some lasting weeks to months after a single dose. However, most evidence derives from acute administration studies and limited post-acute follow-ups. Long-term naturalistic psychedelic users remain critically underexamined, yet may exhibit distinct neurobiological profiles informing...