Denizens of Silicon Valley have long hailed microdoses of psychedelic drugs as a means of unlocking creativity. Where tech leads, the US follows. NFL star Aaron Rodgers credits the South American drug ayahuasca with improving his wellbeing and his playing. Mind-expanding treatments are a burgeoning area of medical research and venture capital investment.
Psychedelics inspired writer Aldous Huxley, psychologist Timothy Leary and some garish album cover art in the seventies. They may be useful as medicines for the same reason they appeal to artists. The drugs supposedly induce “neuroplasticity” — a rewiring of thought processes to reduce negativity and increase connectedness.
Critics counter that psychedelics can cause irreparable damage. These drugs include LSD, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), ayahuasca and ketamine.