{"id":917769,"date":"2026-10-06T04:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T04:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/917769\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T04:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T04:34:12","slug":"psychedelic-drugs-were-once-considered-revolutionary-rocket-fuel-but-could-they-be-life-changing-medicines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/917769\/","title":{"rendered":"Psychedelic drugs were once considered \u2018revolutionary rocket fuel\u2019, but could they be life-changing medicines?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The cover and title of Rich Haridy\u2019s Trip Reports<\/a> are reminiscent of a poster for a psychedelic rock band or a 1960s \u201chappening<\/a>\u201d. They immediately suggest the book\u2019s leanings.<\/p>\n

Trip Reports is a fascinating read at times. It\u2019s written by a self-confessed \u201cpsychonaut<\/a>\u201d \u2013 someone with an avid and sometimes evangelical interest in powerful, strange and often unpredictable mind-altering substances. <\/p>\n

Haridy, a Melbourne-based journalist, takes a deep dive into the science of psychedelic medicine and developments in Australia. He examines the properties of various drugs, such as LSD and \u201cmagic mushrooms\u201d, and considers how they might help humanity. He wants to know whether psychedelic drugs, including MDMA<\/a> \u2013 widely known as \u201cecstasy\u201d \u2013 can help with conditions such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). <\/p>\n

Review: Trip Reports: Stories from an Australian Psychedelic Renaissance \u2013 Rich Haridy (NewSouth)<\/p>\n

Along the way, Haridy considers many questions. Could micro-dosing be useful? Can \u2013 and should \u2013 the weirdness and unpredictability of psychedelics be separated from their potentially healing properties? Can they address social problems, such as loneliness and isolation? <\/p>\n

Haridy doesn\u2019t dwell on his own drug experiences, but there is raw honesty as he recounts his struggles with poor mental health, including hospitalisation. His experiences suggest the need for better psychiatric treatment. <\/p>\n

But can psychedelics help? Haridy quotes one person describing an LSD trip as the \u201cmost important, moving, deepest thing I\u2019ve ever done\u201d. Yet the Beatles\u2019 George Harrison, after many such trips, concluded<\/a> that LSD \u201cwas like any addiction\u201d. <\/p>\n

An LSD trip can be sublime and life-changing; it can also be terrifying. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

George Harrison came to the conclusion that LSD was like any other addiction.
\n Redferns\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Read more:
\n MDMA and psilocybin therapy rules have been relaxed. Here\u2019s what might happen next<\/a><\/p>\n

Positive effects<\/p>\n

Although psychedelic research is often associated with Europe and the United States, Haridy notes that \u201cAustralia has occupied a strangely central position in psychedelic science over the past 70 years.\u201d <\/p>\n

Psychedelics were widely used in the anti-war counterculture of the 1960s, when hordes of young people began to, as psychologist Timothy Leary<\/a> put it, \u201cturn on, tune in and drop out<\/a>\u201d. Governments were alarmed, and responded by outlawing psychedelics \u2013 and even research into them. <\/p>\n

Australia was one of the last countries to stop research in the 1970s, and one of the first to restart the legal use of psychedelics as a medicine in 2024. \u201cLast out, first in,\u201d writes Haridy.<\/p>\n

He surveys a wide range of evidence. This includes a woman who participated in Australian trials of psychedelics as medicines in the 1970s; her experiences were \u201cvivid, life-changing and incredibly lucid\u201d. <\/p>\n

The group therapy aspect of her treatment was crucial. This mainly involved \u201cself-work\u201d that was tough and painful, as she worked through \u201cdeeply suppressed\u201d childhood trauma, some of it sexual. But she found the treatment \u201creally did work\u201d; it was \u201cdeeply valuable\u201d and ultimately \u201cmarvellous\u201d. She claimed it \u201cstabilised my life. I\u2019m not frightened of anything now. [\u2026] I take each day as it comes, conscious of the beauty around me.\u201d <\/p>\n

This is an important lesson when so many people are mired in gloomy pessimism and apathy due to ongoing wars and intensifying global warming, living in fear of a cataclysmic future. Psychedelic therapy, according to Haridy, \u201cchanges your mind so profoundly that every other day-to-day problem seems almost irrelevant\u201d.<\/p>\n

Haridy examines research that explored the effects of psychedelics on terminally ill patients experiencing angst and terror about death. This, he claims, had \u201cgreat results\u201d, reducing anxiety and depression. It didn\u2019t just dampen symptoms \u2013 that can be done with sedatives. \u201cWhat was transformational,\u201d writes Haridy, <\/p>\n

was that fear of death reduced; demoralisation reduced. [\u2026] Spiritual wellbeing [and] quality of life went up, and perspective shifted. How they faced mortality was extraordinary.<\/p>\n

Haridy records that researchers have found MDMA can have \u201cprofound pro-social effects\u201d, such as \u201ceuphoria, happiness, connection to others, empathy\u201d. People trying the psychedelic brew known as ayahuasca<\/a> have reported going from severe depression to \u201cthrowing their medications in the river and feeling incredible\u201d. There were, Haridy claims, \u201cdramatic life-transformative therapeutic benefits\u201d and a \u201cbroader enhancement of wellbeing, of self-perception and self-efficacy\u201d, which were \u201cpretty sustained\u201d, though ayahuasca has also been found to have some significant negative effects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some of the historical examples Haridy uses could have been better chosen, however. Linking psychedelics with Aztec human sacrifice \u2013 \u201cthe ultimate trip!\u201d \u2013 is a bizarre choice.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Psilocybe cubensis, a species of \u2018magic mushroom\u2019.
\n Innagasaki, via Wikimedia Commons<\/a>, CC BY<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more:
\n Two years on from Australia\u2019s bold psychedelic experiment, here are our concerns<\/a><\/p>\n

Some big downsides<\/p>\n

All is not entirely rosy, however. Haridy describes a session on mushrooms in 2024 during which one woman died, and others experienced paralysis, the inability to speak or stand, and difficulty breathing. It was, one of them said, \u201ckinda scary\u201d.<\/p>\n

DMT<\/a> \u2013 a drug similar to psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms \u2013 took people to \u201canother place\u201d that contained strange beings \u2013 elves, insects or aliens \u2013 some of which seemed malevolent. Participants were sure they were really in a detailed \u201ctangible space\u201d or \u201calien realm\u201d. It\u2019s hard to see any therapeutic aspects to this \u201challucinatory circus\u201d, as Haridy calls it. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Another problem is that psychedelics are deeply dissociative. They may be useful medicines for some, but they can also leave participants \u201cquestioning everything they thought was true and real about existence\u201d. <\/p>\n

As Haridy writes, \u201cthese drugs work because they change your mind, but they\u2019re also unpredictable and dangerous because they change your mind\u201d. This can have profound personal implications \u2013 for example, if a life-long believer decides they no longer believe in a god. People may require ongoing help to readjust. <\/p>\n

Researchers have stressed<\/a> that the drugs augment psychotherapy; they are \u201ctools not treatments\u201d. As with anaesthetics used in surgery, the psychedelics merely assist with the broader treatments of mental illness.<\/p>\n

The combination of psychedelics and psychotherapy is a particularly murky area. Haridy writes that some psychotherapy relies on the belief that \u201crepressed childhood trauma underlies almost all psychological and physical maladies\u201d, which is debatable. Methods of psychotherapy, he observes, can be \u201cwildly diverse\u201d and they are \u201cnot tested for safety and efficacy, only the drugs are\u201d; the belief in people having \u201cinner healing intelligence\u201d is \u201cnot empirically supported\u201d.<\/p>\n

Some participants who have undergone such treatments have reported \u201cextraordinary liberation and healing\u201d, feeling \u201ca weight release\u201d and \u201cprofoundly meaningful experiences\u201d. Haridy claims there \u201cseems little doubt of the healing power in unearthing traumatic memories during MDMA therapy\u201d. Other participants, however, brought up \u201cmemories\u201d of rapes and satanic rituals which may never have happened. <\/p>\n

Nazis, the CIA and the 1960s revolution<\/p>\n

During the second world war, the Nazis tested Mescaline on prisoners<\/a> in the Dachau concentration camp. On learning of this, the US military conduced their own tests on mescaline as a potential truth drug<\/a> from 1947 to 1953. <\/p>\n

The CIA would later test LSD<\/a> on unsuspecting patrons in bars. An expedition to gather the first samples of magic mushrooms for westerners was also surreptitiously funded by the CIA, which was, as Haridy writes, \u201clooking for any way to get ahead of the Soviets, and developing unique mind-controlling drugs was one strategy\u201d. (It proved to be \u201cnot at all helpful\u201d.)<\/p>\n

But the use of psychedelics among the general population really took off in the 1960s, when, as Haridy puts it, \u201ctaking LSD became an act of political defiance\u201d. For some, it was \u201crevolutionary rocket fuel\u201d at a time of widespread protests and cultural transformation: the drug, Haridy argues, \u201cbonded, and boosted, powerful activist groups\u201d.<\/p>\n

He cites the belief of philosopher Herbert Marcuse that there is \u201ca policeman inside all our heads. He must be destroyed.\u201d But Haridy is incorrect when he suggests Marcuse was a fan of violent revolution. Marcuse advised against it as tactically unwise; he believed civil disobedience and educational work were preferable.<\/p>\n

American groups like the Black Panthers and Weather Underground adopted violent postures, but their tactics were counter-productive, undoing the patient movement-building<\/a> of groups like the Students for Democratic Society (SDS). The Black Panthers achieved far more with their free breakfast program<\/a> for poor black children.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also inaccurate to say that 1960s protests were ineffective or stopped occurring. SDS, the Yippies<\/a> and hippies, with their nonviolent, imaginative, humorous, artistic and clever tactics, were much bigger movements and more representative of the social and cultural shifts of those tumultuous times.<\/p>\n

Yes, there was violent repression by the state, but, in the long run, widespread protest led to many successes, such as the withdrawal of Western forces from Vietnam and the birth of Greenpeace<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Members of the \u2018Yippies\u2019 on the steps of New York Public Library, taking part in the Moratorium Day demonstrations against the Vietnam War, October 1969.
\n Bettmann\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Complementing the protest movements of the 1960s was an aspect of introspection (which continues today with groups like Rising Tide<\/a>). Marcuse urged students and activists to work inside schools, universities and cultural groups to awaken people\u2019s political consciousness and change society from the inside. <\/p>\n

For many, psychedelics were a shortcut for achieving this. For others, \u201cteach-ins<\/a>\u201d, group therapy, meditation, yoga, eastern philosophies and forming countercultural communities were preferable. These may have been harder work, but they avoided the bad trips<\/a> and \u201cacid casualties<\/a>\u201d that were common in the era. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe altered state of consciousness,\u201d Haridy concedes, \u201cdoesn\u2019t necessarily need to be generated by a drug.\u201d <\/p>\n

Can psychedelics make mental health worse?<\/p>\n

A 2013 study<\/a> by Norwegian researchers suggested the use of psychedelics was \u201cnot associated with a higher rate of mental health problems\u201d. <\/p>\n

But a recent American study<\/a> at the Massachusetts General Hospital found that psychedelics can have strong downsides for some people. The researchers found they can provoke \u201cintense fear, emotional distress, paranoia, confusion, or the fear of losing control, particularly in uncontrolled or unsupervised settings\u201d, as well as suicidal thoughts, psychosis and manic episodes. <\/p>\n

The study also reported that individuals can experience \u201cagitation, and restlessness or attempt to escape from their situation when they become distressed or disorientated\u201d. <\/p>\n

Some people, the researchers found, may have \u201cpersistent problems with emotional regulation [and] destabilisation\u201d or experience \u201clingering anxiety, depression, or intrusive recollections\u201d; others may engage in \u201cimpulsive and unsafe behaviours\u201d, especially on high doses or if they are simultaneously using other drugs, such as cannabis or have a predisposition to a psychiatric condition. <\/p>\n

These problems are not explored in any depth in Trip Reports.<\/p>\n

Haridy does, however, reflect on whether it might be possible to draw psychedelic medicine \u201cout of pharmaceutical systems and re-situate it in community spaces\u201d. He draws attention to one such space<\/a> in the United Kingdom, which connects needy people with appropriate support from among 400 groups, including help with finances, exercise, writing, singing and so on. It\u2019s had stunning results<\/a>, including a drop in hospitalisation and health-care costs to the community. Haridy believes psychedelic therapies might be effective in such a setting.<\/p>\n

Trip Reports is a valuable resource for anyone interested in psychedelics and mental health. It translates concepts from biochemistry, botany, psychology and sociology into lucid prose. <\/p>\n

Many people who have tried psychedelics, observes Haridy, feel a \u201cdeep need to share their profound experiences\u201d, but struggle because they feel they are \u201cgoing to sound crazy\u201d. One strength of Trip Reports is that it demystifies psychedelic experiences, making it easier for people to talk openly about them.<\/p>\n

Modern life is highly digital and virtual. Ideological divides are broadened by political, economic and technological forces. Haridy believes that reconnecting with others, rather than just \u201cfinding our true selves\u201d, is essential. Psychedelics may \u201cfuel connection\u201d, he concludes, but the connections are the most important thing, \u201cnot the drugs\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The cover and title of Rich Haridy\u2019s Trip Reports are reminiscent of a poster for a psychedelic rock…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":917770,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[64,63,137,490],"class_list":["post-917769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-medication","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-health","tag-medication"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=917769"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/917769\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/917770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=917769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=917769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=917769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}