The use of psychedelic substances can affect the way we think, and consequently our behaviour towards ourselves, society, and our planet. These effects have been shown by several studies in the last decades, as these compounds were researched for their potential in mental health therapeutics.
At the foundation of their beneficial effects to treat mood disorders are the alterations they create in brain networks. Most bad habits and behaviours are indeed rooted in mindsets prone to rumination and self-reflection loops. This “rigid thinking”, and subsequent behaviour, contributes significantly to the development of serious chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and mental health conditions like depression and substance-use disorders.
Of course, most of these chronic conditions are caused by an individual’s genetics. But sometimes we tend to forget how external factors, linked to our behaviour and lifestyle, can favour and facilitate the development of these conditions. Excessive alcohol use, for example, significantly increases the risk of liver cancer. If the loop underlying this unhealthy lifestyle was broken, it would not be surprising to see the incidence of liver cancer fall off, as alcohol addiction decreases.
So now the real question, which we will try to investigate in this piece, is: if psychedelics have been shown to effectively deal with mental health issues, could they be used as prevention by acting on our general lifestyle and everyday behaviour?
Behavioural psychedelics
The term is behavioural psychedelics, coined by the authors of a recent review discussing the topic, defined as “intentional changes” in our behaviour promoting “health and resilience”. In other words, taking psychedelics, in conjunction with therapy, could result in a positive shift in our attitudes, such as changes in our physical activity, diet and social behaviour towards healthier choices.
How is this achievable in scientific terms? According to the latest findings in psychedelic research, these substances enhance neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change, adapt and increase efficacy in synaptic communication, in the making of new connections through growth and structural modifications. The new connections are thought to sprout from the binding of hallucinogens to the 5-HT2AR proteins, the main receptors psychedelics bind to in the brain, normally bound by the neurotransmitter serotonin. These new connections would allow for new loops to be formed, thereby “breaking” those neural pathways driving unhealthy behaviours, which are particularly worsened in mood disorders.
The REBUS model
, recently introduced by Robin Carhart-Harris and Karl J. Friston, provides an explanatory link between the physical changes occurring in the brain consequent to neuroplasticity and the therapeutic benefits seen with the use of these substances.
According to the model, which stands for “Relaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics”, the brain normally tries to make predictions about the world, one’s self and who surrounding us, but these “mental habits” become sometimes too rigid and enrooted in our behaviour, as we can see in mood disorder, addictions and behaviours eventually leading to chronic conditions. Psychedelics, on the other hand, offer a momentary break from this rigidity, by dysregulating certain brain networks such as the default mode network, theorized to be a key player in depression. The result, states REBUS, is the mind becomes open to change, a momentary condition which can be shaped and made permanent through therapy.
Evidence for behavioural psychedelics
Multiple are the factors psychedelics might act on to promote wellbeing. Promising results from studies on these compounds used to treat specific conditions, such as depression, tobacco and alcohol addictions, show that psychedelics increase self-determination, the leading force that makes us persevere on good habits, such as a healthier diet, more physical activity, better hygiene and substance use cessation.
Even though more general lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise have not yet been investigated directly, in one study, ayahuasca users were interviewed about their health and wellbeing practices (yoga, meditation, exercise) — and better health and consistency in good habits were found in ayahuasca users compared to the general population. Moreover, in a survey conducted in the US on people experiencing reduced alcohol cravings after a psychedelic trip, more than half started following a healthier diet and exercised more frequently.
Going beyond self-determination, a well-known aspect that psychedelics act on is our perception of nature. This is supported by the first pro-environmental campaigns and initiatives that blossomed between the 1960s and the 1970s, parallel to the hippie counter-culture which encouraged a closer relationship between man and nature, often through the use of psychedelics. More nature-centred behaviours would promote nature immersion, so more physical activity and sustainable behaviours including dietary changes, thereby making our lifestyle healthier.
There could be a variety of other psychological elements psychedelics act on to promote general well-being. So while their potential for the treatment of mood disorders is renowned, psychedelics’ power to improve our quality of life remains somewhat anecdotal among personal psychedelic experiences, waiting to be explored not only with surveys and reports but to be looked at more closely through clinical trials and continued studies.
