Drugs and psychedelics

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A stained-glass window depicts two figures: one with a bowed head and white face, and another with a halo, dressed in blue and holding a book.

Altered states

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William James was right about our strange inner experiences

Rather than Freud’s cynicism or Jung’s enthusiasm, we need an inquisitive approach to unusual forms of consciousness

by David Yaden

A painting of six men playing cards in a rustic room with a fireplace and ladder. One man wears a red hat.

Drugs and psychedelics

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What can Kant tell us about the perils and promise of booze?

Drinking like a philosopher: what does Immanuel Kant have to say about the role of intoxication in our overlooked lives?

by Matthew Perkins-McVey

Dimly lit dining scene with blurred flowers in foreground; two people converse at a table over food and wine

Addiction

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How to know if you’re addicted

Do you feel uneasy about your drinking or drug use? Recognising the signs of addiction can be the first step to recovery

by Rebecca E Williams

Desert with a blurred yellow road sign and distant hills under a blue sky.

Altered states

film

Ride along on a road trip suffused with LSD, petty theft and true love

Directed by Aric Allen

Photo of hands clasped on a wooden table with a blister pack of orange pills in front.

Depression

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Why the ketamine revolution is stalling – and how to save it

Used with psychotherapy, ketamine can provide safe and effective treatment for depression when other treatments have failed

by Bita Moghaddam

Silhouetted photo of a family on a wooden pier overlooking a serene lake at sunset.

Drugs and psychedelics

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To learn from a psychedelic trip, explore the dreams that follow

Psychedelic experiences, properly digested, offer opportunities for change – and the dreams that follow them can help

by Mackenzie Amara

A couple with reflective glasses in a blurry, overexposed setting with curtains and chairs, an orange-yellow tint.

Drugs and psychedelics

guide

How to have a safe psychedelic trip

A psychedelic experience can be deeply rewarding, but also carries real risks. Here’s how to avoid a bad trip

by Christian Jarrett

A man wearing an eye mask lies on a bed while another person observes; a monitor and lamp are on the nearby table.

Emerging therapies

film

What does ketamine-assisted therapy look like? Inside one firefighter’s journey

Directed by Brandon Kapelow

Medieval manuscript illustration of a mandrake plant with human features, surrounded by handwritten text.

Sex and sexuality

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A long history of aphrodisiacs, from health tonic to sexual aid

Long before Viagra, people around the world and throughout history used aphrodisiacs to boost health and improve fertility

by Alison M Downham Moore

Photo of a wolf standing in a sunlit paddock with mountains and trees in the background, creating a serene atmosphere.

Altered states

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Altered states can help us face death with serenity and levity

Near-death and out-of-body experiences can help us embrace our impermanence, letting us live and face death with serenity

by Sam Gandy, Samantha Treasure, Jade Shaw & Alexander Beiner