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Explore the World of Plant Medicine and Psychedelics. A Weekly Digest of Exclusive Stories, Insights, and Research.
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Guide ⚡
Today’s newsletter takes about 5 minutes to read—so if you’ve only got 60 seconds, here’s what you need to know:
Psilocybin use isn’t always “risk-free.” The biggest concerns aren’t physical toxicity; they’re psychological in nature, manifesting as panic, paranoia, and experiences that can feel destabilizing in the moment, especially when done without proper safety considerations or preparation…
“Bad trips” are real, but not always meaningless. Challenging sessions can sometimes curate insights or growth later on, but they can also leave people shaken or even traumatized if they’re unprepared or unsupported…
Set and setting + personal risk factors make a HUGE difference in outcomes. Choosing the proper environment, mindset, and support systems can dramatically shape psilocybin outcomes, and for people with a personal or family history of psychosis (or mania), it’s suggested to stay away from psychedelics…
🎙️ This week on the pod: Scott goes deep with Nathaniel J. Brown on the foundational lie of racial hierarchy, the spiritual paradigms shaping the Black community, and his revolutionary view that plant medicine can help heal Black trauma, with ripple effects that could improve race relations in America.
👉 Over the next few weeks, we’re going to continue to zoom in on psilocybin and discuss its potential treatments for anorexia and addiction…
Stay tuned for more!
🧠 The Webdelics Team
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🎙️ Healing Racial Wounds — with Nathaniel J. Brown
🎧 In this episode, we went deep with Nathaniel J. Brown, a man who is committed to becoming the best version of himself while also challenging the dominant paradigms of spirituality that influence the Black community.
🤎 Nathaniel opens up with a bold, deeply personal perspective: That plant medicine can be a pathway toward healing Black trauma, and that this healing may be essential not only for individuals, but also for improving race relations in America.
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🍄 What Are The Psychological Risks of Taking Psilocybin Mushrooms?
Psilocybin (the primary psychedelic compound in “magic mushrooms”) is widely discussed for its therapeutic potential and meaningful, perspective-shifting experiences.
And in controlled research settings, classic psychedelics are generally well tolerated, but the potential psychological risks are real and worth understanding, especially if you’re new to this quickly growing area of interest.
🫠 Handling Challenging Experiences AKA “Bad Trips”
A so-called “bad trip” can involve intense fear, panic, confusion, or paranoia. While distressing in the moment, challenging experiences aren’t always “bad” in hindsight; many people later describe them as meaningful or growth-oriented after they’ve properly processed them.
With that said, a difficult journey can still be destabilizing, especially without preparation, support, or a safe environment. That’s why risk reduction starts before the experience begins…
🖼️ The Importance of Set and Setting
In clinical trials, people are prepared, supported, and closely monitored, creating conditions that facilitate safety and help explain why serious harms are uncommon in research contexts.
Focusing on the “Set and Setting” (mindset + environment) of an experience can strongly shape the experience. Expectancy, emotional state, social support, and physical surroundings can influence whether a session feels grounding or overwhelming.
And having a properly trained, trusted, and sober support person (often called a guide or trip sitter) can help someone navigate difficult emotions with reassurance and calm.
🚨 Psilocybin and the Risk of Psychosis
Psilocybin (and psychedelics in general) may trigger or worsen psychosis in predisposed individuals, which is one of the reasons why clinical trials typically exclude participants with personal or family histories of psychotic disorders.
Population studies haven’t found strong evidence that lifetime psychedelic use, by itself, increases rates of mental health problems, but that doesn’t erase individual vulnerability or rare adverse outcomes…
Case-report reviews have also documented psychosis-like reactions and mood destabilization in some circumstances, especially with underlying risk factors.
⚖️ Legislation, Personal Risk Factors, & Mitigation
As psilocybin access expands outside clinical settings and into society, starting with the regulated service models like Oregon’s program (licensure began in 2023), more people will be exploring psychedelics at the risk of doing so without standardized screening or support…
Which is why it’s imperative to educate the masses on the potential benefits and risks of using these substances…
Survey-based research studies suggest emergency medical treatments after magic mushroom use are uncommon, and when they do happen, it’s often driven by acute anxiety/panic or paranoia.
Recreational and first-time users should be especially cautious with:
Family history of psychotic disorders (and often bipolar-spectrum disorders)
Personal history of psychosis, mania, or severe destabilizing anxiety
Mixing substances or using them in chaotic/unsafe settings, as the risk of adverse events vastly increases
🛣️ Preparation is The Way To Optimize Outcomes & Decrease Risks
Psilocybin can be powerful for self-exploration and healing, but as we’ve shared, it’s not risk-free. Nothing ever is in life!
Based on our findings, current research, and evidence, it’s best to focus on proper screening, preparation, support, and integration to reduce harm.
👉 Subscribe to The Guide for evidence-based takes on psychedelics, research, and integration tools—delivered weekly to your inbox.
💬 Success = When Opportunity Meets Hard Work
As Carl Sagan reminded us, “It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.”
This balance between knowledge and being informed matters more than ever in the psychedelic space, where bold claims travel faster than nuance, and opinion can easily masquerade as proof…
Because at the end of the day, it’s up to YOU to educate yourself, think critically, and move through this world being informed.
🧠 If this week’s newsletter got you going, keep going:
📖 Compass Just Published Positive Findings for Their Phase 3 Psilocybin Study: Once again, brilliant work done at Psychedelic Alpha covered the recent study results from Compass Pathways' study on Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). What do you think of the findings?!
🧭 Spread The Good Word!: The best way to share the love is to share our newsletter… And you can do so by clicking HERE!
At Webdelics, we’re here to make plant-medicine and psychedelic education clear, evidence-based, and actionable, so you can make informed choices with fewer regrets…
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💬 Questions, corrections, or topics to cover next? Hit reply.
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🧠 The Guide - by Webdelics
Disclaimer: Webdelics does not support or promote any illegal activities, including the use of substances that may be mentioned in this newsletter. We encourage all readers to familiarize themselves with and adhere to the laws in their region. Please note that Webdelics does not offer mental health, medical, or clinical services and should not be used as a replacement for professional medical, psychological, or psychiatric care, diagnosis, or treatment.
