Could psychedelics be used to help tackle mental health issues like depression and addiction? In this episode of Brave New World, Evgeny Lebedev speaks to Professor David Nutt, one the leading researchers in this controversial field. His former student, now professor, Robin Carhart-Harris, describes the impact of his study comparing psychedelic medicine with mainstream medicine. Evgeny also meets pioneers like Amanda Feilding who developed the first images of the brain on LSD, and the psychologist Bill Richards who explains his research into consciousness. He also speaks to Buzzfeed journalist Lara Parker who used ketamine assisted therapy to treat clinical depression. In this episode:

• How do psychedelics really affect the brain?
• Why David Nutt says they can “disrupt the thought loops” behind depression
• How effective is ketamine assisted therapy?
• Robin Carhart-Harris describes his work with ‘magic mushrooms’
• Why Amanda Feilding set up the Foundation to Further Consciousness
• Bill Richardson on why ‘mystical consciousness’ is becoming “a scientific term”

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and hit the follow button on your podcast provider so you never miss an episode of Brave New World.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.