Flashback : the return of psychedelic medicine

Abstract

In the 1960's, psychedelic drugs were a part of not only popular culture, but also cuttingedge psychology research. Scientists were studying these drugs in the hope of understanding and treating various psychological and societal ills; but as psychedelics got caught up in the counter-culture, they fell out of favor with the public, and practically vanished from the research world as quickly as they'd appeared. Now, decades after they all but disappeared, psychedelics are making a comeback. Focusing primarily on research with psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder as well as anxiety and depression associated with terminal illness, this thesis examines the researchers who've brought psychedelic medicine back from the brink and the work they're doing to explore the potential within these complex and controversial drugs.