We are in the midst of a new psychedelic renaissance. Drugs like MDMA and psilocybin are being ushered into mainstream medicine, promoted as miracle cures for a host of psychiatric woes. But as psychedelics come to be seen as treatments for various types of psychological suffering, we are overlooking one of their most precious offerings: the potential for play.
"Neuroplasticity" is the word many mental health professionals are now using to describe the positive effect of psychedelics; a process in which the brain sort of loosens up, becoming flexible and open to learning (Children’s brains, for instance, are highly plastic.) Plasticity is why researchers believe psychedelics show promise in helping individuals who are suffering from psychological complaints related to obsessiveness, ruminations, and habits—what professionals diagnose as “depression,” “anxiety,” and “addiction.” And it’s one reason psychedelics help people in general, moving them from a sense of repetitiveness in their lives to a more expansive, awakened encounter with the world.
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