Psilocybin Mushrooms & Nature Relatedness, will it be used?
In a world of ever-increasing disconnect and severe climate crisis, it is essential to understand the psychological mechanism that allows us to have increased concern for our planet. Eco-psychology is the study of humans’ interdependence and connection to nature, the field of study seeks to expand and remedy the mental and physical connection that humans have with nature. Bridging eco-psychology and psychedelics can help us understand just how these substances aid in the realization of our climate crisis and disconnect with nature. If humanity began living their lives pro-environmentally, sustainably, and with increased awareness of global problems then it might be possible to lower our carbon emissions and delay the climate disaster.
Psilocybin mushrooms seem to have the miraculous ability to induce a sense of oneness. These psychedelic experiences are correlated with increased feelings of nature connectedness. In a study done by famous psychedelic researchers Robin Carhartt Harris, Sam Gandy et al. From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner The study highlights how psychedelic psychedelics and psilocybin mushrooms are found to increase feelings of connectedness to nature in a State- Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner. In another study done by Dr. Gandy.. Among psychedelic-experienced users, only past use of psilocybin reliably predicts nature-relatedness it was found that psilocybin usage is a predictor of nature-relatedness.
Psilocybin can increase nature-relatedness but it does not always translate to pro-environmental behavior. In an interview with Dr. Gandy, he mentioned how it is hard to measure one’s pro-environmental behavior. “ It is quite difficult to quantify what a pro-environmental behavior exactly is, a development of a scale could be useful.” This calls for further research in the area and the development of pro-environmental scales similar to that of the NR-6 scale that can aid researchers in determining pro-environmental behavior change after a psilocybin experience.
Pro-environmental behaviors could be categorized as one’s adoption of actions aimed at minimizing environmental harm and even actively trying to preserve or restore the environment. If more of the population has this framing and outlook on life, there could be drastic changes. Dr. Gandy mentioned ,“ Psilocybin could play a supplemental role through connecting people with nature, but how it is used will be important in this regard.” Psilocybin and nature relatedness should be more researched and funded to find how it can be useful through a psychedelic experience.
Although psilocybin mushrooms cannot be the cure-all for our climate catastrophe, they should be seen as a tool in the box that eco-psychologist and therapists can utilize for their research. Dr. Keith Heinzerling, co-director of the Treatment and Research in Psychedelics ( T.R.I.P ) at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute has found an upside to having nature involved in psychedelic therapy. Dr. Heinzerling conducted a study for Alcohol use disorder. Nature-themed video intervention may improve the cardiovascular safety of psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder One group was exposed to a nature video during the preparation of a psilocybin experience and the control group was not exposed to the nature themed video .
“Nineteen of 20 (95%) randomized participants (mean age 49 ± 11 years, 60% female) completed the 14-week study. During the first psilocybin session, participants viewed an average of 37.9 min of the 42-min video and there were no video-related adverse events. Peak increase in post-psilocybin blood pressure was significantly less for participants randomly assigned to Visual Healing compared to Standard procedures. Alcohol use decreased significantly in both Visual Healing and Standard groups and psychedelic effects, stress, and anxiety were similar between groups”
This highlights the potential of using nature to improve cardiovascular safety without interfering with psychedelic experience or alcohol-related treatment outcomes. This reduction in anxiety could come from a sense of connection to nature and its effects on our well being.
The results are impressive and can be used moving forward to reduce reduce the cardiovascular risks of psychedelic therapy while also potentially increasing one’s connectedness to nature during the psilocybin journey.