25% Report Negative Meditation Experiences

25% of those who meditate report negative experiences.

This should not be particularly surprising as one begins to pay more attention to experience and begins to stop repressing and ignoring psychological material.  It offers the opportunity to work through this material and be healed at a deeper level.

40hz Pulsed Light Entrainment useful for Alzheimer's

A couple of studies in Alzheimer's disease mice "strengthened synaptic function, preserved neurons, and improved learning and memory".

“We think this approach could delay or ameliorate neurodegeneration”

TMS for Depression

In despair from major depression, I turned to a last resort: Magnets.

The sensation over time was like climbing up a staircase out of the hole, back into my daily life. I began working and parenting again and ultimately feeling brighter, more hopeful, and more resilient than I had in as long as I could remember.

Mindfulness Helps with Stress and Procrastination

Breath meditation helped graduate students with stress and anxiety.

Students who tested as more mindful had less problems with procrastination.

Effects of Psilocybin plus Meditation

A single large dose of psilocybin was given to 38 participants during a 5 day mindfulness retreat (abstract).

Drug-specific modulations in self-referential brain areas were found post-intervention.

Reduced antero-posterior DMN connectivity was linked to drug-induced ego dissolution.

Extent of altered self-experience and connectivity predicted lasting positive changes.

Plant-based Psychedelic Decriminalization Proposed in Oakland

Lawmakers Schedule Psychedelic Decriminalization Hearing In Oakland

Just days after the approval of the nation's first successful measure to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms in Denver, a major city in California is moving to consider a measure that goes even further by calling for an end to arrests and prosecutions of people for possessing additional psychedelic drugs such as mescaline cacti, ayahuasca and ibogaine.

Psychedelics reduce Alcoholism

Psychedelics' Role in Beating Alcoholism Illustrated in LSD, Psilocybin Study of self selected and self reported data from 343 individuals.

The survey results showed a dramatic change in the number of alcoholic drinks people consumed before taking a “moderate or high dose” of either LSD or psilocybin and the number of drinks they were consuming a year later. After their drug experience, 83 percent of the participants no longer met the criteria for having alcohol use disorder. In turn, 28 percent of the participants reported that their psychedelic experience was the reason they decided to change their lifestyle.

Phase 2 trials indicate MDMA safe and effective

Results from Phase 2 clinical trials indicate MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD is safe and effective.

The researchers pooled data from six Phase 2 clinical trials that were carried out from 2004 to 2017 to examine the outcomes of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.

The researchers found that the treatment appeared to be both safe and effective. After two experimental sessions, approximately 50% of participants who received active doses of MDMA no longer met PTSD diagnostic criteria, compared to 23% of participants who received placebo.

Denver Decriminalizes Mushrooms

Initial polls showed the measure failing, but the final unofficial results have the measure passing.  This would make personal use of psilocybin mushrooms the city's "lowest law-enforcement priority".

MDMA for PTSD may have additional benefits

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD may have benefits beyond reductions in clinical symptoms.

Qualitative research on one year followups shows that the therapy "led to improvement in their self-awareness and social functioning".