Have you ever come across a seemingly dubious article that says “sitting is the new smoking” or “walking is actually killing you?”
Who knew that even the simple things that we do everyday are actually harming us in the long run? This sounds sarcastic unless you add the word “excess” to it. Excessive sitting causes your leg muscles to eventually experience atrophy as much of your weight is carried by your pelvic bones and muscles instead of your feet. Walking too frequently in a polluted area where you inhale a lot of toxins and pollutants in the air can really kill you.
Inversely, finding positive effects from generally negative substances and practices is also quite common nowadays. There are now studies claiming that a glass of wine a day is healthy.
Another area of life that’s growing support from something previously thought to be bad is the legalization of cannabis and other psychedelics around the world. Those who back this thought-altering substance vow to its usefulness in at least some activities. Of course, such substances are not beneficial to some specialized tasks such as attending to patients. In fact, there are those who have been victimized by medical professionals who were under the influence of a psychedelic substance that they took. If you or someone close to you are among the unfortunate ones, do not hesitate to get the assistance of experienced pros like those from the Tinker Law Firm.
The rest of this article tackles some of the activities that really benefit from the use of psychedelics.
Meditation
You read that right. Even the activity that aims to achieve the utmost calm and to focus all of your thoughts into single point can benefit a lot from a chemically induced stirring. Researchers from the University Hospital of Psychiatry in Zurich found in an experiment that psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, prevented the experience of anxiety in those who received the chemical compared to those who got the placebo.
Psilocybin works by erasing the line between the self and the surroundings. Eventually, the taker feels a sense of bliss, unity, transcendence, and self-awareness, which are among the many benefits or aims of simple meditation.
Sharing
Ayahuasca is a brew made out of a vine found in South America that has been used by the indigenous people for centuries to achieve a spiritual experience with the divine during ceremonies. Nowadays it has been a common trend among curious individuals to achieve a similar experience in less formal and less traditional settings.
According to one scientist from NEIP or the Interdisciplinary Group for Psychoactive Studies, taking ayahuasca can “foster an increase in generosity, spiritual connection and altruism.” Combined with the proven mental benefits of sharing, ayahuasca done correctly in a social setting helps a person appreciate the things he has, making it a lot easier for him to impart his knowledge and efforts with those who have less.
Listening
The stress that we feel everyday stems from different bio-psycho-social factors. Psychedelics are found to help alleviate at least some effects of stress in the long run.
Participants of the study, who went on retreats and opted to be observed further, have reported a more open and optimistic approach to everyday life. They became more approachable and more understanding towards their friends who tell them about their problems. The regulation of attention and reappraising emotions of both parties became more effective thanks to psilocybin.
They say it’s never good to judge a book by its cover. True enough, the stigma surrounding psychedelics are slowly being disproved by today’s scientists. Science is really fun and exciting, especially if it is comes across new findings that can help those suffering from mental health problems: all of us.
