The West is Finally Talking About Mental Health, but Now It’s Time for Psychedelics

Coronavirus has done immense damage to the world. I despise everything about the heinous word, including the loss of liberty, the media’s nefarious agenda, and the ample division it has caused in society.

When this virus is history — which isn’t long away — I will shut down anyone who dares to mention this awful era. I want the human race to learn from it, but forget about it in rapid time. I also want the west to hold the Chinese Communist regime accountable — but that’s for another article.

If there are any positives to come from the previous 12 months, the western hemisphere is finally discussing the rampant mental health epidemic, which has gripped the culture for decades. Until 2020, anxiety, mental health, and depression were stigmatised subjects.

Only when a virus made everyone’s life uncomfortable did people start to look inside. When people weren’t allowed to do everyday things — their inactivity forced them to look internally, perhaps for the first time in their life.

That was painful for many westerners, in a culture where internal thought and self-awareness still isn’t a common desire. It’s not taught in schools, nor is it promoted in popular culture.

I feel a significant shift in the western psyche towards mental health. And I believe that’s a great thing, I’ve spoken about it for years, and now I’ve finally seen a shift — it’s a win-win.

But what now?

Suppose the western world is going to break through mental health? It’s about time the western world looked at the stigma around psychedelic drugs.

I wrote an article about the psychedelic trip that I had. It was enlightening, powerful, and emotional — but that’s what I wanted from it, clarity and insightfulness, and it gave me both.

For many years I’ve had an interest in the spiritual world’s phenomenon. And my interest in psychedelic started many years ago. I’ve never understood why some western politicians, media, and scientists turn a blind eye to these medicines.

We could talk about conspiracy theories — but I’m not going there.

Many people argue — including me — that many of the answers that human beings need are in the form of psychedelic experiences. Natural medicines that give you an out of body experience.

Medicines such as ayahuasca, DMT, and Psilocybin are prime examples. These medicines give you spiritual and internal perspective. Granted, they are not always pleasant, but discovering oneself isn’t supposed to be enjoyable — it’s supposed to be tough.

For decades the western world has refused even to have a sensible conversation on psychedelic drugs. It’s dumbfounding to me that we wouldn’t have a conversation about psychedelics in a culture of such much anxiety, depression, and addiction.

I have never advocated for the full legalisation of psychedelics. But I have argued that psychedelics have a place in a controlled environment. And that we should be open to discussing the incredible mental health benefits that can come from psychedelic experiences, in a protected, regulated, and controlled environment — with people who need them the most.

And I believe this conversation will become commonplace in the future.

Many things improve mental health, such as meditation, self-help books, disciplined exercise, and therapy. However, the controlled use of psychedelic drugs has an even more prominent place.

2020 was a year that saw the west take leaps towards a culture that is beginning to respect the importance of mental health and internal wellbeing. But it’s like a toddler taking its first steps — it has a tremendously long way to go.